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* 


THE  CZAR, 


HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


5 


THE  CZAR 

HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE 


INCLUDING 


A TOUR  IN  NORWAY  AND  SWEDEN. 


BY 

JOHN  S MAXWELL. 


NEW  YORK: 

BAKER  AND  SCRIBNER, 

36  PARK  ROW  AND  145  NASSAU  STREET. 


1848. 


Entered  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1848,  by 
BAKER  & SCRIBNER, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States, 
for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


THOMAS  B.  SMITH,  STEREOTYPER. 
216  WILLIAM  STREET,  N.  Y. 


PREFACE. 


This  volume  might  have  been  increased  to  double  its  present 
size  ; — but  the  object  has  been  to  condense  as  much  as  possible. 
As  now  offered  to  the  public,  it  is  thought  that  whatever  may  be 
worthy  of  notice,  is  stated  with  sufficient  explicitness. 

Had  the  effort  been  made  to  give  greater  piquancy — by  per- 
sonal anecdote — or  by  reference  to  events  and  names  of  indi- 
viduals— it  could  easily  have  been  done;  but  a just  regard  to 
the  feelings  and  situation  of  parties  residing  in  Russia,  forbids  the 
mention  of  private  expression  and  confidential  communication. 

Russia  and  its  relations,  political  and  social,  every  year  become 
more  interesting  as  intelligence  advances  with  the  march  of  im- 
provement. Nicholas  the  First,  has  been  much  misrepresented, 
or  misunderstood.  From  prejudice  or  ignorance,  great  injustice 
has  been  done  to  that  remarkable  personage  in  many  publications 
relating  to  Russia. 

While  deeply  impressed  with  the  evils  of  despotism,  which  on 
every  side  are  seen  and  felt  in  Russia,  the  writer  has  endeavored 
to  do  justice  to  the  character  of  the  Czar — his  motives  and  inten- 
tions. 

The  dark  picture  we  have  drawn,  takes  no  shade  from  demo- 
cratic prejudices ; — truth  alone  has  supplied  the  materials  and 


vi 


PREFACE. 


coloring.  The  skies  of  the  despotism  are  cold  and  cheerless. 
Russian  scenes  are  wanting  in  the  warmth  that  gives  beauty  to 
the  southern  landscape.  There  is  nothing  in  nature — nothing 
in  the  history  of  her  past — to  awaken  the  warm  and  glowing  de- 
scriptions, which  so  frequently  give  interest  and  animation  to  the 
story  of  a traveller. 

A few  pages  devoted  to  Norway,  will  contrast  pleasingly  with 
the  subsequent  and  larger  portion  of  the  volume.  Should  the 
writer  have  failed  in  imparting  useful  information,  he  hopes  at 
least  that  his  countrymen,  who  shall  think  this  book  worthy  a pe- 
rusal, will  not  feel  less  devotion  to  their  own  free  institutions  or 
less  solicitude  to  guard  them  from  anarchy  and  decline. 


New  York,  February,  1848. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface 


PAGE 
. V 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Kattegat— Night  on  the  Sea — Christiania — The  Myosen  Lake — 
Norwegian  Riot — Lillehammer — The  Guldebrandzdal — Life  in  Norway 
— Mountain  Scenery 13 


CHAPTER  II. 

Norwegian  Hospitality — The  Republican — Climate — Boatmen — Soldiers 
— Inns — The  Falls  of  the  Glommen.  27 


CHAPTER  III. 

Norwegian  Liberty  — Constitution  — Laws — Schools — Elections — The 
Storthing 37 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Gottenburg — Gotha  Canal — Falls  of  Trolhaetta — Vretakloster — Rustic 
Ball — A Hoosier.  . 48 


CHAPTER  V. 

Stockholm — Hotels — Royal  Palace — Ritterholm  Kirk — The  Court  and 
People — Opera — Jenny  Lind 55 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Environs  of  Stockholm — Haga — Drotningholm  — Gripsholm — Rosen- 
berg— Gustavus  Adolphus  the  Fourth — The  Duke  of  Sudermania — Ber- 
nadotte.  64 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Upsala — Odin — The  University — The  Morasteen — Mine  of  Dannemora.  73 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Paper  Money — Gulf  of  Bothnia — Abo — Sweaborg — Helsingfors — Rus- 
sian Marine.  80 


CONTENTS. 


viii 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Gulf  of  Finland — Revel — Trumbull’s  Bunker  Hill — Catherine’s  Thai — 
Esthonian  Peasantry — The  Baltic — Passports — Cronstadt.  . . 86 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Neva — St.  Petersburg — Custom  House  Police — Hotels — Bureau  des 
Etrangers . 93 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Impressions  of  St.  Petersburg — The  Admiralty — Canals — Bridges — Q,uai 
Anglais — Statue  of  Peter — Winter  Palace — Summer  Gardens — Islands 
of  the  Neva — Column  of  Alexander— Equipages — Province  of  Ingria 
— Alexander  Nevsky — Peter  the  Great — Foundation  of  St.  Petersburg 
— Fortifications — Architecture — Materials  used  in  Construction — Ef- 
fect of  Climate — Summer  Evenings 101 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Hermitage — Imperial  Library — Academy  of  Naval  Cadets — Imperial 
Lyceums — Institutions — Churches — Tombs  of  the  Czars — Environs  of 
the  Capital — Peterhoff — Fetes  of  July — Rural  Hermitage  of  Catherine 
— Imperial  Fishing — Railroad — Tsarskoe-Celo  — Parks  and  Prome- 
nades— Fountain  of  the  Broken  Pitcher 112 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

Model  Farm — Agricultural  Instruction — Implements — Yankee  Farmer 
—His  Improvements — Alexandroffsky — American  Mechanics — Rail- 
way from  St.  Petersburg  to  Moscow — George  W.  Whistler — The  Foun- 
dry— Importation  of  Machinery — American  Enterprise.  . . .122 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Indications  of  Winter — Effects  of  the  Cold — Sleighing — Streets  of  St.  Pe- 
tersburg— Russian  Mountain — Bear  Hunting — Academies  of  Science 
and  Art — Theatres — Actors — The  Opera — Corps  de  Ballet — Music — 

Dress — The  Clubs — Gaming — Whist-Playing 130 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Palaces  of  the  Nobles — Festivities — Furniture  and  Ornaments — Jewelry 
and  Decorations — Taste  and  Luxury — The  Czar — The  Grand  Duke 
Michael — Imperial  Fetes — Winter  Palace — Presentation — The  Em- 
press— Courtiers — Ball-room — Banquet — Ball  of  the  First  of  January 
— Blessing  the  Waters — Procession — Emperor’s  Day.  . . 145 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Salle  de  la  Noblesse — Masquerades — The  Grand  Duchess  Helen — Car- 
nival— Lent — Amusements — Concerts — Colonel  Lvlof— Good  Friday 
— Easter  Week — Parades  — Field  of  Mars — Review  of  May — The 
Guards — Discipline — Drill — Termination  of  the  Season — Approach  of 
Spring. 155 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Population  of  St.  Petersburg — Etiquette  of  the  Russian  Court — Imperial 
Family — Character  of  Nicholas — Difficulties  of  his  Position — Manners 
of  the  Nobles — Their  Pecuniary  Condition  and  Extravagance — Their 
Political  Relations  and  Influence — Literary  Taste — Ladies  of  the  Court.  164 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Inferior  order  of  Nobility — Foreign  Employes — Their  Manners  and  Ad- 
vancement— Domestic  Arrangements — Dress — Military  Officers — Pay 
— Uniform — Resorts  of  the  Officers * 173 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

July  in  St.  Petersburg — Season  of  Travel — Journeys  of  the  Emperor — 

Visit  to  the  Interior — Road  to  Moscow — Appearance  of  the  Country — 
Novogorod — Its  Rise,  Progress,  and  Decay — Ivan  the  Terrible — The 


Tribunal  of  Blood 180 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Improvements  of  Peter — Woodlands — The  Valdai  Hills — Bridge — Wages 
and  Workmen — Twer — Inns — Approach  to  Moscow.  . . . 189 

CHAPTER  XXI. 


Moscow — Its  Foundation — The  Kremlin — Ivan  the  Great — Church  of 
St.  Basil — Ivan  the  Terrible — Peter  the  Great — Merchants  of  Moscow 
— The  Holy  Gateway — View  from  the  Kremlin — Church  of  St.  Mi- 
chael—-Tombs  of  the  Czars — Images  of  the  Virgin — Regalia.  . . 195 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Villa  of  the  Gallitzins — Sparrow  Hills — Nobles  of  Moscow — Manner  of 
Living — Intelligence — Presence  of  the  Emperor — Gayety  of  the  Mus- 
covites— Shops — Cafes — The  Foundling  Hospital.  ....  204 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Catherine  the  Second — Her  Influence  and  Art — Council  of  Moscow — De- 
struction of  the  Political  Importance  of  the  Nobles— Ukases — Civil  and 

1* 


X 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Military  Governors — Their  Administration — The  Senate — The  Empe- 
ror Alexander 213 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Accession  of  Nicholas— His  Policy— Motives  of  his  Conduct — His  Tem- 
per— His  Apprehensions — Military  and  Naval  Forces — Corruption  of 
the  Government — The  Aristocracy — Domestic  Policy  of  the  Emperor — 

The  Russian  Church — The  Conflict  of  Laws — Courts — Decrees — Ju- 
dicial Proceedings — Political  Difficulties  in  the  Government — Causes 
of  Danger  to  Despotism — The  Spirit  of  the  Age — Its  Advance  and 
Influence 221 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Fasts  and  Festivals — Holidays — Travelling  Equipages — Central  Russia 
— People  of  Great  and  Little  Russia — Supremacy  of  the  Great  Russian 
— His^  Characteristics — Serfs — Their  Number  and  Condition — Their 
Privileges  and  Obligations — Labor  of  the  Serfs — Their  Houses — Baths 
— Clothing — Personal  Habits 232 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Agricultural  Products — Hemp — Manufactures — Fabrics  of  Moscow — 
Tariff — Russian  Statistics — Ships  and  Commerce — American  Prod- 
ucts— Cotton — Tobacco — Influence  of  Commerce — Free  Trade.  . 244 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Vladimir — Alexander  Nevsky — Country  Residences — Country  Life — Res- 
ident Nobles — Pastimes  of  the  Peasantry — Priests — Churches — Su- 
perstition  ...  257 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Military  Colonies — Recruits — Condition  and  Efficiency  of  the  Russian 
Forces; — Officers — Employment  of  the  Soldiers — Term  of  Service — Pay 
--Gardens — Fruits — Wheat — Fertility  of  the  Country  — Farming — 
Seed-time  and  Harvest. 267 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Nischnei  Novogorod — Tne  Governor-general — Nischnei  Fair — Teas — 

Furs — Carpets — Cashmere  Shawls — Value  of  Merchandise  Sold — Rus- 
sian Markets — Caravans — Influence  of  Russian  Merchants — Treaty 
with  Sweden — Exclusive  Trade  of  Russia — Commercial  Relations.  . 273 


CONTENTS. 


xi 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Various  Nations  at  the  Fair — Tea  Houses — Tractirs — Cuisine — Sterlet 
Soup — Caviare — Wines — Dissipation  — Women — Music — Gipsies — 
Shows — Convents — Cossacks 282 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Governor’s  Palace — The  Volga— Its  Navigation — River  Craft— Scenery 
— Oarsmen — Russian  Song — Arrival  at  Kazan — The  Club  House  . 288 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Khans  of  the  Golden  Horde — Tartars — Tartar  Dwellings — Character, 
Religion,  and  Hospitality  of  the  Tartars — The  German  Brothers — 
Omarsing 293 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

The  Great  Fire — Procession  of  the  Host — The  Princesses — Escape  from 
the  Flames — The  Deserted  Caravansary — The  Scotchman — Fire  in  the 
Tartar  Quarter — Tartar  Women — Retreat  from  Kazan — Disaster  on 
the  Road — Russian  Peasant — Sudden  Cold. 298 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Post  Houses — Yemshicks — A Detention — A Minister  of  State — Tchu- 
washes — Interior  of  a Tchuwash  Cabin — Russian  Tyranny — Its  Ef- 
fects— Exiles — Painful  Impressions.  .......  307 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Use  of  the  Whip — Arrival  at  Liscover — Boulderoff’s  Inn — Midnight  Vis- 
itors— The  Master  of  Police — The  Kentuckian — The  Special  Passport 
— Russian  Police — Its  Evils  and  Corruption — Return  to  Nischnei — 

— News  of  the  Fire — Return  to  Moscow — The  English  Chapel — Re- 
turn to  St.  Petersburg. 315 

CHAPTER  XXXVI, 

Post  House  at  St.  Petersburg — Departure — Reflections — Winter  Morning 
— The  Travellers — Dukedom  of  Lithuania — Refreshments  on  the  Road 
—The  Greek  Church — The  Jews. 325 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

The  Niemen — Its  Passage  by  the  French — The  Invasion  and  the  Retreat 
— Examination  of  Luggage — Brutality  of  the  Custom-House  Officers 
— Captain  of  the  Guard — His  Accomplishments — Polish  Postilion — 

Field  of  Growkow — Entry  into  Warsaw 332 


xii 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Warsaw — Streets — Palaces  — » Population — The  Iron  Monument — The 
Environs — The  Grand  Duke  Constantine — Coronation  Oath  of  Nicho- 
las— Polish  Revolution — Patriotic  Efforts — Assault  and  Surrender  of 
Warsaw — Causes  of  the  Fall  of  Poland 338 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

Departure  from  Warsaw — Travelling  Companions — Market-day  in  Lo- 
vitz— Polish  Peasantry — State  of  the  Country — Approach  to  the  Fron- 
tiers— Brightening  Scenes — Leave  the  Russian  Territories — Cracow 
— Inns — The  Jews  of  Cracow 346 

CHAPTER  XL. 

The  Zameck — The  Cathedral — The  Shrine  of  Stanislaus — The  Crypt — 
Tomb  of  Kosciusko — Wieliezka — The  Salt  Mines — The  Mound  o. 
Kosciusko 354 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

Russian  Agents — The  Spy — His  Character  and  Appearance — Treaty  of 
Vienna — Insurrection  in  Gallicia — Political  Speculations — Arrival  at 
Vienna. 362 


THE  CZAR.  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Kattegat — Night  on  the  Sea— Christiania — Myosen  Lake — Norwegian 
Riot — LiUehammer — The  Guldebranzdal — Life  in  Norway — Inns. 

The  steamer  Christiania,  from  Copenhagen,  stopped  at 
Elsinore  in  the  afternoon,  and  we  took  passage  in  her  for 
the  capital  of  Norway.  This  boat  was  exceedingly  clean 
and  comfortable,  her  engines  of  English  make,  and  her  cap- 
tain a Norseman,  and  an  officer  in  the  Swedish  and  Nor- 
wegian navy.  The  English  language  was  spoken  by  many 
of  the  company — a number  of  Swedish  and  Norwegian  pas- 
sengers. We  were  soon  in  the  Kattegat,  and  running  north 
along  the  shores  of  Sweden,  under  the  protection  of  the 
Union,  the  red  and  yellow  flag  of  Sweden  and  of  Norway. 

The  weather  was  particularly  fine ; — a combination  of 
pleasant  circumstances, — the  presence  of  friends,  and  the 
agreeable  excitement  attending  the  approach  to  a far  and 
strange  country,  made  it  one  of  those  days,  that  forever 
after  haunts  the  memory  of  the  traveller.  The  evening 
was  magnificent,  equal  in  fervent  brilliancy  to  any  of 
a southern  summer.  The  sun  went  down  in  the  distant 
sea,  leaving  around  his  place  of  exit,  a cluster  of  rosy 
clouds ; and  leaving,  too,  the  moon  to  fill  the  night  with 


14 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


lustre,  and  to  adorn,  as  with  a path  of  liquid  gold,  the 
smooth  surface  of  the  sea.  Every  star  shone  brightly,  and 
the  fires  of  the  light- house  glimmered  upon  the  adjacent 
shore.  Many  ships,  crowded  with  sail,  were  making  for  the 
harbor  we  had  left ; and  as  we  followed  them,  until  one  by 
one  they  became  dark  objects,  and  were  lost  upon  the 
waters,  we  thought  how  many  might  be  from  our  country, 
and  homeward  bound. 

The  next  morning  at  eight,  we  reached  Gottenburg,  and 
after  some  delay,  were  off  again  for  the  north.  Soon  after 
clearing  the  Peninsula  of  Jutland, — the  Cimbrica  Chersone- 
sus, — and  entering  the  Skaggerack,  the  Union  was  hauled 
down,  and  in  its  stead  was  hoisted  the  national  flag  of  Nor- 
way. 

Another  night  found  us  upon  the  moonlit  sea ; and  an- 
other morning  revealed,  to  our  delighted  vision,  the  moun- 
tains of  old  Norway.  We  were  upon  the  fiord  or  frith  of 
Christiania,  an  arm  of  the  sea  running  inland  for  many 
miles,  and  winding  away  among  the  mountains, — sometimes 
like  a river  that  rises  far  beyond,  and  then,  like  a little  lake, 
dotted  with  islands,  and  inclosed  with  hills  of  green  forest 
and  gray  rock. 

At  the  head  of  this  fiord  is  Christiania,  a city  that  will 
disappoint  him  who  expects  to  see  a capital  in  any  way 
resembling  those  of  the  rest  of  Europe.  It  is  a particularly 
plain  town,  and  dull  beyond  all  calculation,  when  the 
Storthing  or  Congress  has  adjourned,  and  the  schools  and 
colleges  of  the  University  are  in  vacation.  The  streets  are 
very  wide,  and  after  a rain,  knee-deep  with  mud.  The 
houses  are  very  neat,  well  painted,  and  have  a comfortable 
aspect,  but  there  is  nothing  singular  or  beautiful  about  them, 


TRAVEL  IN  NORWAY. 


15 


— while  the  inhabitants,  a well-dressed,  newspaper-reading 
people,  have  not  the  slightest  peculiarity  of  dress  or  manner. 
The  inns  are  tolerably  good,  and  the  number  of  persons 
speaking  English  really  remarkable.  All  this  is  very  apt  to 
damp  the  ardor  of  the  traveller  in  search  of  the  wild  and 
wonderful.  In  no  other  country  upon  the  continent  is  the 
English  language  so  generally  spoken  and  understood  as  in 
Norway ; and,  so  far  as  this  is  concerned,  an  Englishman 
may  travel  with  greater  ease  in  Norway,  than  he  can  in 
France,  Germany,  or  Italy.  The  commercial  intercourse 
between  England  and  Norway,  and  the  numbers  of  English 
and  Scotch  who  have  settled  in  the  latter  country,  may 
account  for  this.  The  Norwegians  speak  English  with  the 
intonation  of  educated  Scotchmen.  The  language  in  com- 
mon use  in  Norway,  is  a dialect  of  the  Danish.  The  an- 
cient Norsk  is  very  generally  used  in  the  northern  districts, 
and  in  Iceland.  The  Normannic  or  high  Norsk  is  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Edda,  and  is  supposed  to  have  been  spoken 
throughout  Scandinavia  as  late  as  the  ninth  century. 

A forebud,  or  messenger,  was  dispatched  from  Christi- 
ania, to  the  next  station  or  post-house,  upon  the  route  we 
had  chosen,  to  order  horses  to  be  in  readiness.  Soon  after 
this,  the  guide  informed  us  that  the  carrioles  were  ready. 
A carriole,  the  ordinary  conveyance  of  the  country,  is  a 
light  carriage,  with  one  seat,  and  in  appearance  and  con- 
struction resembles  what  we  call  a sulky,  a vehicle  in  com-, 
mon  use  in  the  mountainous  parts  of  Virginia.  Behind  the 
carriole  there  is  a rail  of  wood  or  iron,  binding  together 
the  shafts  and  body  of  the  carriage.  This  rail  serves  as  a 
§eat  or  hold  on  for  the  boy,  who  accompanies  the  traveller 
to  the  next  station,  to  take  back  the  conveyance.  The 


16 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


luggage  being  properly  disposed  of,  the  guide  was  placed 
on  the  lead,  and  we  followed  as  fast  as  our  little  horses 
could  carry  us,  until  we  reached  the  summit  of  the  hills 
which  rise  beyond  Christiania.  Here  we  called  a halt,  and 
turned  to  look  at  the  scene  below.  It  was  early,  even  for 
this  latitude  at  this  season ; and  a mist  that  had  concealed 
the  valleys  and  the  waters,  and  all  but  the  dark  mountains 
that  towered  above  and  around  us,  was  rolling  slowly  up- 
ward, like  a curtain,  showing,  one  after  the  other,  the  fiord 
and  the  forest,  the  fields  and  farms,  until  the  whole  stood 
revealed  in  the  brightness  of  the  morning. 

At  the  first  post-house  beyond  Christiania,  we  found  other 
carrioles  and  fresh  horses.  By  the  law  of  the  country,  the 
farmers  are  obliged  to  send  horses  and  conveyances  to  the 
station,  for  the  use  of  travellers,  upon  the  requisition  of  the 
master  of  the  station,  who  calls  in  regular  rotation  upon 
each  farmer  in  his  district.  This  is  a great  convenience 
to  the  traveller,  and  not  so  great  an  inconvenience  to  the 
farmer  as  would  be  supposed,  inasmuch  as  the  latter  is  well 
paid  for  his  trouble,  and  may,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
other  farmers  of  the  country,  either  amend  the  law  or  in- 
crease the  tariff  of  charges,  if  he  finds  the  present  arrange- 
ment at  all  burdensome.  It  is  a pleasant  way  of  going 
through  the  country,  as  one  may  take  his  own  time,  drive 
fast  or  slow,  and  delay  at  the  station-house  as  long  as  he 
thinks  proper.  These  stations  combine  the  character  of 
the  inn  and  farm-house,  and  afford  comfortable  entertain- 
ment. They  are  extremely  clean,  and  the  fare,  though 
simple,  is  abundant.  In  each  of  them  a book  is  kept,  in 
which  the  traveller  is  invited  to  inscribe  his  name,  resi- 
dence, and  destination,  and  enter  all  his  complaints,  as  to 


THE  MYOSEN  LAKE. 


17 


the  state  of  the  roads,  and  conduct  of  the  people.  These 
books  are  regularly  examined  at  stated  periods ; all  griev- 
ances fully  examined  into,  and  rectified  by  persons  having 
authority  for  that  purpose.  The  road  from  Christiania  to 
the  little  hamlet  of  Minde,  at  the  foot  of  the  Mvosen  lake, 
lay  over  the  hills  and  through  the  valleys  of  a well-culti- 
vated and  well-settled  country. 

At  Minde  we  embarked  in  a small  iron  steamer,  called 
the  Jarmbarden , or  the  Iron-bird,  for  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  lake.  The  Myosen,  the  largest  lake  in  Norway,  is 
not  more  than  seventy  miles  in  length,  and  varies  in  breadth 
from  two  to  ten  English  miles.  The  farms  upon  the  shores 
of  the  Myosen  are  considered  the  best  in  Norway,  both  as 
it  respects  the  soil  and  situation.  Gently  sloping  banks 
are  occupied  with  fertile  fields,  and  clothed  with  a foliage 
one  hardly  expects  to  see  so  far  to  the  north.  The  hills 
upon  the  shores,  do  not  rise  to  any  great  apparent  eleva- 
tion, and  the  scenery,  although  quite  pretty,  is  somewhat 
tame,  and  altogether  inferior  to  the  lake  scenery  of  Switz- 
erland. 

One  of  the  best  situations,  along  the  whole  extent  of  the 
shore,  was  formerly  occupied  by  a Cathedral  and  monas- 
tery founded  in  1160,  by  Adrian,  an  Englishman,  who  was 
afterwards  Pope  Adrian  the  Fourth.  A considerable  por- 
tion of  the  circumjacent  country  was  the  property  of  the 
religious  order  who  lived  in  the  monastery ; and  the  ruins 
of  a palace,  and  other  buildings,  are  said  to  exist  in  the 
vicinity.  All  these  may  have  been  destroyed,  and  the 
monks  dispersed,  at  an  early  period  of  the  Reformation, 
which  carried  all  before  it  in  this  country.  One  cannot 
help  admiring  the  good  taste  displayed  by  the  old  relig- 


18 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ious  fraternities,  in  the  selection  of  pleasant  places.  Where- 
ever  they  went,  they  seem  to  have  united  a love  of  devo- 
tion, with  a love  of  the  picturesque.  During  the  palmy 
days  of  the  Church  on  earth,  almost  every  snug  corner  in 
Europe  appears  to  have  been  theirs.  Theirs  was  Hohen- 
salzburg ; theirs  was  Holyrood ; and  theirs  was  this  pretty 
place,  the  fairest  spot  in  Norway.  It  would  seem  as  if  the 
holy  brotherhoods  were  determined  to  have  a fair  glimpse  of 
earth,  to  prepare  for  the  fairer  prospects  of  heaven.  They 
pitched  their  worldly  tabernacles  upon  the  most  favored 
and  romantic  sites.  They  preferred  a position  naturally 
strong,  with  a southern  exposure ; sheltered  by  the  im- 
pending mountains  from  the  blasts  of  winter ; and  over- 
looking the  fat  bottoms,  the  vegetables,  and  the  villages  of 
the  valley.  Then  reflecting  upon  the  obligation  to  eat  fish 
on  Fridays,  the  good  souls  were  always  sure  of  a river  or 
lake  well  stocked  with  trout ; and  for  the  other  days,  an  all- 
bountiful  Providence  had  filled  the  neighboring  forests  with 
game  and  venison.  How  different  the  fate  of  most  clergy- 
men now-a-days  ! 

The  company  on  board  the  Jarmbarden,  consisted  prin- 
cipally of  the  country  people,  called  the  Bonder,  or  peasant 
proprietors  of  Norway ; a class  composing  a large  propor- 
tion of  the  population,  and  who  are  as  fine  a race  of  men 
as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world.  There  was  nothing 
whatever  peculiar  about  them  in  point  of  costume ; their 
homespun  cloth  coats  being  cut  much  after  the  fashion  of 
the  day  in  France  and  England.  As  is  usual  in  Norway, 
and  as  was  usual  in  the  United  States  before  the  introduc- 
tion of  temperance  societies,  the  being  away  from  home, 
travelling  and  meeting  with  friends,  and  the  entire  relief 


NORWEGIAN  RIOT. 


19 


from  any  immediate  business,  was  considered  a proper  oc- 
casion for  indulging  freely  in  the  use  of  strong  drink,  or  in 
other  words,  for  having  a frolic.  There  was  more  than 
usual  excitement  perhaps  on  this  occasion,  from  the  fact  of 
the  presence  of  a wedding  party.  The  father  of  the  bride, 
a stout,  hale  old  gentleman,  in  the  uniform  of  an  officer  of 
the  Norwegian  army,  had  ordered  a table,  provided  with 
bottles  of  punch  and  wine,  to  be  placed  on  deck  near  the 
seats  of  the  bridal  party,  and  every  one  was«called  upon  to 
drink  to  the  happiness  of  the  youthful  couple.  Although 
strangers,  and  incapable  of  speaking  or  understanding  a 
word  of  the  language,  we  were  also  summoned ; and  as  it 
might  appear  ungracious  to  resist  the  repeated  and  pressing 
invitation  of  the  happy  father,  and  as  moreover  we  had  not 
taken  the  pledge  of  total  abstinence,  we  drank  a glass  of 
good  home-made  wine  to  the  everlasting  prosperity  of  the 
newly  married  pair.  The  consumption  of  punch,  which  in 
Norway  is  sold  by  the  bottle,  was  very  great,  and  soon  after 
dinner  most  of  the  company  were  considerably  elevated. 
The  discovery  that  an  American  was  on  board,  increased  the 
enthusiasm  and  the  demand  for  punch.  The  old  soldier 
insisted  upon  drinking  bumpers  to  a better  acquaintance, 
and  although  we  could  not  comprehend  him,  were  obliged 
to  listen  to  a long  oration  about  Norway  and  the  United 
States,  which  was  much  applauded  by  the  company,  and 
which  lasted  until  another  bottle  had  completely  silenced 
the  fire  of  the  orator. 

“No  tide  of  the  Baltic  e’er  drunker  than  he.” 

He  was  carefully  laid  aside,  and  the  national  songs  and 
chorus  in  honor  of  Gaule  Norge,  or  Old  Norway,  contin- 


20 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ued  the  whole  afternoon.  Our  guide  was  as  tipsy  as  the 
rest,  and  bold  enough  to  insinuate  that  he  expected  to  be 
treated  as  a gentleman,  inasmuch  as  he  had  not  only  re- 
ceived a good  education,  and  spent  a large  property  in  the 
pursuit  of  the  refined  pleasures  of  fashionable  life,  but  was 
of  a most  respectable  family,  claiming  descent  from  the  an- 
cient kings  of  the  country.  He  complained  bitterly  of  the 
many  indignities  he  had  suffered  from  the  hands  of  trav- 
ellers, and  his  accounts  of  the  whims  of  the  English  were 
given  with  great  gusto.  An  English  clergyman,  having  in 
charge  three  young  noblemen,  employed  him  as  guide,  and 
in  the  course  of  conversation  upon  the  road,  the  guide  ex- 
pressed his  high  opinion  of  Mr.  O’Connell.  The  reverend 
gentleman  was  actually  horror-stricken,  and  discharged  the 
guide  for  professing  such  awful  principles  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  pupils.  Upon  another  occasion,  he  was  with 
an  English  baronet,  and  one  warm  day  before  dinner,  the 
guide  found  it  convenient  or  necessary  to  take  some 
brandy-and-water.  It  was  charged  in  the  bill,  and  when 
the  baronet  discovered  it,  he  was  very  much  offended  at 
the  want  of  delicacy  as  exhibited  in  taking  a dram  before 
dinner.  “ Get  drunk  as  often  as  you  please,”  he  said,  “ after 
dinner,  but  while  in  my  service,  never  dare  to  drink  again 
in  the  morning.”  Such  treatment  this  descendant  of  the 
sea-kings  considered  altogether  incompatible  with  his  dig- 
nity, and  gave  us  to  understand  that  he  would  get  royally 
drunk,  and  cheer  Daniel  O’Connell  whenever  he  was 
pleased  to  do  so.  Satisfied,  even  to  repletion,  with  these 
novel  exhibitions  of  Norwegian  riot,  we  were  glad  to  reach 
the  town  of  Lillehammer,  which  we  did  a little  before  mid- 
night;—the  voyage  of  seventy  miles,  including  delays  to 


LILLEHAMMER. 


21 


land  and  take  in  passengers,  having  occupied  eighteen 
hours. 

Lillehammer  consists  of  a few  straggling  houses,  and  yet 
it  is  said  to  be  the  largest  inland  town  in  Norway.  It  has 
no  trade  of  any  kind,  and  its  principal  importance  may 
result  from  its  being  the  resort  of  the  people  who  come  from 
the  country  to  attend  the  church,  or  to  take  passage  in  the 
steamboat.  Beyond  Lillehammer,  commences  the  valley 
called  the  Guldebrands,  a fine  valley,  six  or  eight  miles  in 
breadth,  and  reaching  from  the  head  of  the  Myosen  lake, 
to  the  foot  of  the  Dovre  Fjeld,  among  whose  summits  is 
Sneehetten,  eight  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
and  the  highest  among  the  mountains  of  the  north.  Along 
this  valley,  and  beside  the  clear  waters  of  the  Laug,  a river 
that  empties  into  the  Myosen,  we  pursued  our  journey. 
In  its  whole  extent,  this  valley  is  occupied  by  the  Bonder, 
and  exhibits  a charming  picture  of  their  industry  and 
comfort.  The  houses,  built  of  logs,  and  weather-boarded, 
are  neatly  painted,  and  the  fields,  partly  cleared  of  stone, 
and  clothed  with  luxuriant  crops  of  grass,  have  a rural 
and  pleasant  aspect,  scarcely  expected  to  be  seen  in  61° 
north. 

The  system  of  farming  is  excellent — water  is  brought 
from  the  mountain  rivulets  and  distributed  through  the  fields 
by  troughs.  Wherever  this  simple  method  of  irrigation  is 
employed,  the  returns  are  immense.  The  farms  are  gener- 
ally small,  but  so  abundant  is  the  pasture  during  the  sum- 
mer upon  the  mountains,  that  many  of  the  farmers  are 
enabled  to  keep  thirty  or  forty  cows,  and  to  make  large 
quantities  of  cheese  and  butter.  Every  thing  used  by 
the  farmer,  except  tea,  coffee,  sugar,  and  other  foreign 


22 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


articles,  is  produced  upon  his  own  estate : his  cloth,  linen, 
leather,  fuel,  food,  liquor,  are  all  the  produce  of  his  farm, 
and  prepared  and  manufactured  in  his  own  house,  and 
under  the  superintendence  of  himself  and  family.  The 
loom  and  the  spinning-wheel  are  in  active  and  constant 
operation  in  every  household,  and  under  the  direction  of  the 
mistress,  all  the  provisions  for  winter  are  carefully  provided. 
The  servants,  who  stand  in  relation  to  the  master,  much 
upon  the  same  footing  as  “ helps”  in  New  England,  have 
small  houses  and  lots  of  ground,  near  the  residence  of  the 
proprietor,  and  pay  their  rent  in  work  or  produce.  These 
servants  frequently  keep  from  three  to  six  cows, — driving 
them  to  the  upland  pastures  as  soon  as  the  snow  has  disap- 
peared, and  by  extraordinary  care  and  economy  in  housing 
every  blade  of  grass  they  can  secure,  are  enabled  to  provide 
for  them  in  winter. 

The  cottages  of  these  farm-servants,  in  cleanliness  and 
neatness,  rival  the  larger  establishment  of  the  proprietor ; 
and  the  inmates  know  as  great  a degree  of  comfort  and  en- 
joyment, as  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  people  of  the  same  condi- 
tion in  any  part  of  the  world.  The  winter  is  a season  of 
amusement  to  all  classes,  and  the  holidays  are  kept  with 
universal  jollity  and  good  cheer. 

Hunting  parties  go  out  to  shoot  the  reindeer  and  the  elk, 
and  sleighing  parties  go  from  farm  to  farm,  in  a regular 
round  of  visits.  Every  article  of  furniture  is  made  by  the 
farmer  or  his  servants ; and,  as  used  to  be  the  custom  in 
the  Dutch  settlements  upon  the  Hudson,  the  cobbler  and  the 
tinker,  and  other  workmen,  stop  at  every  house  during  cer- 
tain periods  of  the  year,  and  are  engaged  in  repairing  and 
providing  the  articles  and  utensils  appertaining  to  their 


THE  SABBATH. 


23 


craft.  The  labor  of  these,  as  almost  every  thing  else,  is 
generally  paid  for  in  grain  and  dairy  produce.  In  the  inte- 
rior of  Norway,  the  intervention  of  money  is  scarcely  ne- 
cessary between  man  and  man.  The  wealth  of  the  coun- 
try is  entirely  domestic,  and  founded  upon  the  industry  of 
her  fishermen  and  farmers.  A mine  of  silver  alone  consti- 
tutes her  mineral  wealth,  and  her  only  exports  consist  of  fish 
and  timber,  the  latter  of  which,  before  the  heavy  duties  to 
favor  the  Canadian  trade,  went  principally  to  England. 

We  did  not  reach  the  Dovre  Fjeld  nor  Trondjem.  All 
we  could  do  was  to  sigh  our  souls  that  way  and  trace  our 
steps  another.  From  Holmen  we  returned  to  Lillehammer. 
It  was  a Saturday  evening  when  we  left  the  station-house 
at  Moshus.  W e had  delayed  our  early  departure  on  ac- 
count of  the  excessive  heat.  From  the  middle  of  June  to 
the  middle  of  August,  the  short  summer  in  the  north  will 
more  than  equal  that  of  the  south  for  extreme  and  con- 
tinued heat.  At  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening,  it  was  as 
bright  as  noon-day:  but  the  feeling  of  the  air  began  to  be 
agreeable,  and  we  noticed  that  the  inmates  of  farm-houses 
had  assembled  about  the  doors  of  their  happy  dwellings, 
to  enjoy  the  refreshing  coolness  of  the  approaching  night. 
The  afternoon  of  Saturday  is  observed  in  Norway  as  a 
portion  of  the  Sabbath,  just  as  it  is  in  New  England.  The 
observance  of  Sunday  is  also  precisely  the  same  in  both 
' these  countries ; the  afternoon  being  a season  of  gossiping 
among  the  old  folks,  and  love-making  among  the  young. 
We  passed  the  Sunday  at  Lillehammer,  and  attended  the 
little  church,  which  was  crowded  with  people  from  the 
neighboring  country.  The  men  were  dressed  in  gray  suits 
of  homespun,  and  some  of  them  had  the  bright  red  caps 


24 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


which  distinguish  the  men  of  Guldebranzdal.  The  women 
wore  the  short  gown  and  petticoat,  a dress  that  seems  com- 
mon to  the  sex  in  all  the  agricultural  districts  of  Europe. 
Although  the  majority  had  their  horses  and  carrioles  with 
them,  not  a few  had  walked  as  many  as  ten  miles  to  be 
present  at  the  service. 

The  Lutheran  creed  prevails  in  Norway  without  dissent 
and  without  schism,  and  every  adult  of  intelligence  seeks 
confirmation,  not  only  on  account  of  its  spiritual  benefits, 
but  also  as  an  evidence  of  his  respectability  and  standing 
among  his  fellows.  So  general  is  this  religious  influence 
and  feeling,  that  he  who  has  not  been  confirmed,  although 
he  may  give  evidence,  is  disqualified  as  a witness  to  be 
sworn  under  oath.  The  employer  seeks  a servant,  and 
the  servant  seeks  a master,  among  the  confirmed.  Con- 
firmation is  supposed  to  give  character  and  fitness  to  the 
person  hiring  and  the  person  being  hired.  In  order  to  be 
confirmed,  it  is  necessary  to  pass  an  examination,  which  at 
least  proves  that  the  candidate  can  read,  and  has  been  care- 
fully instructed  in  all  that  relates  to  the  great  principles  of 
Christian  conduct.  The  examination  is  a public  one,  and 
in  the  presence  of  the  assembled  congregation,  and  is  in 
itself  an  inducement  to  the  vanity  as  well  as  to  the  interest 
of  those  who  seek  instruction  or  confirmation. 

The  little  church  of  Lillehammer  is  very  plain  in  its  ex- 
ternal and  internal  appearance.  It  contains  a few  gaudy 
symbols,  but  upon  the  whole,  looked  like  the  Protestant 
churches  of  America.  The  Lutheran  churches  in  Ger- 
many and  the  North,  are  generally  so  embellished  with  pic- 
tures and  other  ornaments,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  for 


COUNTRY  INNS. 


25 


the  English  Protestant  to  distinguish  them  from  the  Roman 
chapels. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  left  in  the  carrioles,  and  after 
a long  day’s  ride  along  the  eastern  shores  of  the  Myosen, 
reached  Smorweken.  But  it  is  quite  unnecessary  to  give 
the  details  of  our  daily  progress.  Day  after  day  we  saw 
the  same  beautiful  scenes  and  the  same  happy  people,  and 
witnessed  a hospitality  unknown  at  this  day  in  any  other 
part  of  Europe.  We  were  received  in  every  house  with 
kindness,  and  every  one  we  met  upon  the  road  would  lift 
his  hat  and  bow  us  welcome.  There  is  nothing  rude  or 
unmannerly  about  the  democracy  of  Norway.  In  no  other 
region  in  the  world  is  there  more  suavity,  frankness,  and 
self-respect.  It  is  the  only  European  country  in  which  we 
found  the  generous  simplicity  and  noble  virtues  so  nearly 
approaching  those  which  men  imagine  to  have  belonged  to 
a happier  period.  As  there  are  few  towns  or  villages  in  the 
interior,  the  solitary  farm-house  is  often  both  inn  and  station. 
Many  of  these  are  exceedingly  neat  and  comfortable,  and 
resemble,  in  some  particulars,  those  in  the  remote  parts  of 
Switzerland.  The  bread  furnished  the  traveller  is  made  of 
rye,  flavored  with  aniseed.  Besides  this,  he  is  served  with 
an  abundant  supply  of  oat-cake,  eggs,  fresh  trout,  soup,  po- 
tatoes, preserved  cherries,  and  plenty  of  wild  mountain 
strawberries,  cream,  milk  and  butter.  At  every  station, 
at  any  hour,  morning,  noon,  or  night,  any  quantity  of 
excellent  coffee,  much  better  prepared  than  it  usually  is  in 
the  hotels  of  England  or  the  United  States,  is  always  ready. 

The  use  of  coffee  among  the  women  is  as  general  as  the 
use  of  liquor  among  the  men.  Both  are  taken  in  immoderate 
quantities  by  every  class  of  people,  and  the  coffee  is  said  to 

2 


•26 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


be  worse  in  its  ultimate  effects  than  the  brandy.  The  or- 
dinary liquor  of  the  country,  a strong,  fiery,  but  pure  spirit, 
is  called  Finkel.  It  is  distilled  in  every  farm-house,  from 
potatoes,  and  is  used  the  first  thing  in  the  morning  and  the 
last  thing  at  night.  It  is  taken  in  sickness  and  in  health, 
and  is  the  Norwegian  panacea  for  all  the  ills  of  life.  The 
young  think  it  gives  them  strength,  the  old  say  it  prolongs 
life.  On  every  unusual  occasion,  be  it  a political  celebration, 
a birthday,  a marriage  festival,  or  a holiday  of  any  kind,  the 
Norwegian  is  sure  to  be  gloriously  drunk.  Drunkenness 
may  be  said  to  be  very  usual,  and  yet  habitual  drunkards 
are  as  few,  and  as  far  between,  as  in  any  other  country. 
French  brandy  and  French  wines  can  be  obtained  in  many 
of  the  country  inns,  at  as  cheap  a rate  as  in  Paris.  The 
cost  of  transportation  from  Havre  to  Christiania,  is  less  than 
the  cost  of  carriage  from  Havre  to  Paris ; and  the  import 
duties  at  Christiania  are  less  than  the  octroi  at  the  gates  of 
Paris.  The  Norsemen  are  enormous  eaters.  Four,  and  fre- 
quently five  meals  a day,  with  sweet  soups  and  highly-fla- 
vored dishes,  taken  at  intervals,  are  not  unusual ; and  yet 
the  dyspepsias,  and  complaints  resulting  elsewhere  from 
such  a diet,  are  almost  unknown  in  Norway.  This  may 
be  because  of  the  great  amount  of  exercise  taken  by  the 
people.  They  are  a stout  and  athletic  race,  and  retain  all 
the  daring  and  chivalry  of  those  sires,  who,  as  the  men  of 
Normandy,  were  the  beloved  of  the  lion-hearted  Richard. 

The  expense  of  living  at  the  inns  in  the  interior  is  very 
moderate  ; not  more  than  half  a dollar  per  diem  ; but  rapid 
travelling  will  be  found  expensive,  as  the  hire  of  horses  and 
carrioles,  and  the  pay  of  couriers  and  post- masters,  are  fixed 
at  high  prices. 


MOUNTAIN  DRIVES. 


27 


CHAPTER  II. 

Norwegian  Hospitality— Mountain  Scenery — The  Republican — Climate — 
Boatmen — Soldiers — The  Falls  of  the  Glommen. 

The  drive  from  Bleny  to  Hannefost,  which  latter  place  is 
a few  miles  from  the  south-western  side  of  the  Myosen 
lake,  is  through  a country  that  will  answer  the  most  san- 
guine expectations  of  those  who  seek  for  the  sublime  and 
beautiful  in  Norway.  The  road,  leaving  the  fields  and 
farms  of  the  valley,  crosses  mountain  after  mountain,  and 
presents  at  every  turn  every  variety  of  prospect,  from  the 
cultivated  hills  and  dales  that  are  seen  below,  to  the  snow- 
covered  summits  of  the  Hardanger  Fjeld,  that  rise  beyond. 
There  is  nothing  so  exhilarating  as  the  mountain  drives  in 
Norway.  The  roads  among  the  dark,  pine-forests,  and  beside 
the  dashing  torrents,  are  as  good  as  roads  can  be,  and  free 
from  all  the  obstructions  that  are  likely  to  overturn  or  break 
the  rickety  but  comfortable  old  carriole  provided  for  the  tra- 
veller. The  Norwegian  horse  climbs  the  steep  ascent  with 
ease  and  rapidity,  and  descends  the  long  hills  with  a celerity 
to  which  the  unaccustomed  may  object,  but  object  in  vain. 
It  is  the  custom  to  go  down  at  full  speed,  and  nothing  can 
stop  the  impetuous  progress  of  the  steed.  Once,  when 
descending  in  this  way,  one  of  the  wheels  of  the  convey- 
ance of  a companion  was  broken  into  splinters,  and  he 
himself  thrown  out.  But  he  was  little  injured,  and  this 


£23 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


unusual  accident  resulted  only  from  the  extreme  antiquity 
of  the  vehicle. 

Hannefost  is  the  name  of  a village  of  three  or  four  houses, 
near  a beautiful  fall  of  water.  The  river  is  broken  in  many 
places  with  rapids,  and  immense  quantities  of  timber,  cut 
in  the  forests  upon  its  margin,  are  thrown  in  and  carried  by 
the  current  into  the  fiord.  The  trout  and  salmon  are  very 
abundant,  many  of  them  weighing  more  than  fifteen  pounds. 
Fly  fishing  is  little  practised  by  the  Norwegians.  They  use 
the  ordinary  tackle  and  bait,  and  are  very  successful  with 
fikes  and  snares.  Twenty  miles  to  the  westward  of  Hanne- 
fost is  the  farm  and  post-house  of  Sundsvold.  It  is  at  the 
base  of  the  Crogleven  mountain,  and  on  the  mountain  itself 
are  some  of  the  finest  points  of  view  in  Norway.  One  of 
these,  called  the  King's  view,  is  considered  the  best.  This 
magnificent  prospect  embraces  a great  extent  of  country, 
diversified  with  hill  and  plain,  lake  and  forest,  fields  and 
farms,  and  beyond  them  are  the  dark  outlines  of  the  Gousta 
Fjeld,  whose  summits,  at  this  season,  were  white  with  snow. 
The  mountain  scenery  in  Norway,  in  many  of  its  features, 
resembles  the  Alps  of  Styria  and  the  Tyrol,  more  than  those 
of  Switzerland.  It  is  rather  picturesque  than  grand.  The 
broad  deep  valleys  of  unequalled  verdure  are  watered  with 
silver  streams  ; the  swelling  ridges  of  the  hills  are  clothed 
with  trees  of  various  foliage,  and  high  upon  the  mountain 
side  rise  the  forests  of  fir  and  pine.  But  the  glaciers  and  the 
lochs,  the  narrow  defiles  and  the  naked  peaks  of  the  higher 
Alps,  are  not  seen  in  Norway.  From  the  mountain  we 
went  to  Jonsrud,  which  is  about  twelve  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  Christiania;  and  thence  onward  towards  Asker, 
along  the  shores  of  one  of  the  charming  bays  of  the  fiord. 


A NORWEGIAN  COTTAGE. 


29 


We  were  driving  leisurely  along,  and  were  by  no  means 
disposed  to  hasten  through  a most  beautiful  region.  The 
guide,  who  was  on  the  lead,  had  stopped  at  a cottage  to 
light  his  pipe.  This  ^cottage  was  much  in  appearance  like 
many  of  those  we  had  seen  in  Norway.  It  was  nicely 
painted,  and  the  woodbine  hung  about  the  door  and  win- 
dows. In  situation,  it  was  all  that  the  most  romantic  fancy 
could  suggest.  A meadow,  enamelled  with  wild  flowers, 
and  irrigated  by  a bright  clear  rivulet,  reached  from  be- 
hind this  Norwegian  dwelling  to  the  base  of  the  mountain, 
not  more  than  a quarter  of  a mile  away.  In  front,  a gentle 
slope  supporting  several  majestic  pines,  ran  down  to  the 
sparkling  waters  of  the  fiord. 

The  proprietor  of  this  pretty  cottage,  a tall,  powerful 
person,  without  coat  or  cravat,  stood  at  the  gate,  awaiting 
our  approach.  As  we  drove  up,  he  advanced  to  the  road 
side,  saluted  us  with  much  cordiality,  and  stated  in  Eng- 
lish that  he  had  learned  from  the  guide  we  were  from 
the  United  States ; and  he  hoped  in  the  name  of  all  that 
was  good  and  glorious  in  the  United  States  and  Norway, 
that  we  would  not  pass  his  door  without  permitting  him  to 
have  the  pleasure  of  our  company  and  conversation.  We 
had  received  many  invitations  of  this  kind  before,  and  for 
reasons  which  must  be  obvious,  they  were  generally  de- 
clined ; — but  there  was  something  unusually  attractive  about 
this  little  cottage,  and  the  warmth  and  manner  of  its  lord 
and  master  were  not  to  be  resisted.  We  passed  through  the 
little  garden  to  the  porch,  entered  the  mansion,  and  were 
presented  to  the  lady  of  the  house,  who  with  several  young 
women,  was  employed  in  sewing.  She  conducted  us  into 
an  adjoining  room.  A large  map  of  the  United  States,  and 


30 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  portraits  of  the  Presidents  of  the  Union,  hung  on  the 
walls.  We  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  amazement, 
and  at  last  our  eyes  met  those  of  the  delighted  host. 
“ You  should  have  been  here  a few  days  since,”  said  he, 
speaking  with  a vehemence  that  increased  our  surprise, — 
“you  should  have  been  here  on  the  fourth  of  July; — you 
should  have  seen  the  flag  of  the  United  States  and  the  flag 
of  Norway  flying  from  the  same  staff  in  glorious  unity  : — It 
was  the  birthday  of  Oscar,  our  youthful  King  and  Presi- 
dent, and  in  his  honor  I hoisted  the  flag  of  Norway  : — It  was 
the  birthday  of  American  Independence,  and  in  honor  of 
that  independence,  I hoisted  the  flag  of  your  renowned 
country.  Come  to  my  garden ; come  see  the  laurel  I have 
from  the  Alleghany  mountains,  and  I am  sure  you  will  feel 
at  home  in  Norway.” 

Nowit  is  easier  to  imagine  than  to  describe  the  sensations 
that  resulted  from  this  unexpected  and  unusual  occurrence. 
The  enthusiastic  greeting,  and  the  noble  allusions  to  our 
distant  land,  increased  the  ardor  of  our  feelings,  and  gave 
expression  to  our  love  for  this  country  and  this  people.  We 
caught  the  hand  of  the  giant  Norseman,  whose  broad  bare 
neck,  and  head  of  flaxen  hair,  and  bright  blue  eyes,  seemed 
radiant  with  manly  beauty ; and  told  him,  as  well  as  we 
were  able,  the  sincere  and  heart-felt  sympathy  we  felt 
for  the  glory  and  the  happiness  of  Norway.  It  is  not 
unusual  in  Europe  to  meet  with  those  who  admire,  or 
pretend  to  admire,  the  United  States ; — nor  is  it  diflicult 
to  find  those  whose  prejudices  have  been  excited  against 
both  its  institutions  and  its  people,  by  well-paid  authors, 
whose  books  and  papers  are  printed  and  published  for  this 
very  purpose,  by  governments  and  interested  parties ; but 


NORWEGIAN  HOSPITALITY. 


31 


it  is  only  in  Norway — Norway,  surrounded  on  every  side 
with  despotic  governments  and  miserable  populations — 
Norway,  free  and  independent,  and  enjoying  the  blessings 
that  result  from  freedom  and  independence,  that  the  polit- 
ical and  social  happiness  of  a republican  people  is  appre- 
ciated and  understood. 

A repast,  principally  composed  of  fish  of  various  kinds, 
fresh  from  the  fiord,  and  served  in  a manner  that  would 
have  conferred  credit  upon  the  old  proprietors  of  the  Ro- 
cker Cancale , awaited  us  in  the  room  decorated  with  mis- 
erable engravings  of  the  Presidents— from  Washington, 
looking  as  if  he  was  afflicted  with  mumps,  to  Van  Buren, 
the  beau  ideal  of  “ a used  up  man.”  We  were  attended  by 
the  lady  of  our  host.  The  ladies  of  Norway — the  ladies 
both  old  and  young,  even  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  influ- 
ential families— superintend  every  household  matter,  invari- 
ably wait  at  table,  and  supply  the  wants  and  wishes  of  the 
guest.  Although  this  results  from  custom,  it  is  followed  in 
many  families  more  from  choice  thaitf  necessity ; and  al- 
though it  may  appear  very  singular  to  those  who  have 
never  witnessed  it,  it  does  not  seem  at  all  strange  in  the 
country.  To  be  a good  housekeeper,  and  to  know  how  to 
provide  for  the  comforts  of  a family,  and  to  care  for  the 
entertainment  of  the  stranger,  is  one  of  the  requisites  in  a 
Norwegian  wife.  It  certainly  does  not  detract  from  the 
beauty  or  accomplishments  of  the  Norwegian  women,  and 
to  it  we  may  trace  much  of  the  domestic  happiness  of  Nor- 
wegian life.  In  this  instance,  at  least,  we  were  honored 
with  the  personal  attention  of  one  of  the  first  women  in  the 
kingdom ; — a lady  whose  refinement  is  as  illustrious  as  her 
birth,  and  we  saw  nothing  but  what  increased  our  admira- 


32 


!THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


tion  and  respect.  After  a substantial  meal,  the  lady  of 
Marieslust,  or  Mary’s  Joy,  as  the  estate  was  called,  retired, 
when  Rhenish  and  French  wines,  Edinburgh  ale,  Scotch 
whiskey,  and  a variety  of  liquors,  were  placed  upon  the 
table.  There  was  no  escape  from  bumpers.  These  people 
have  a way  of  finishing  and  replenishing  their  goblets  in 
double  quick  time,  and  our  host  was  one  of  those  who  would 

* * * “ conjure  the  ghost  of  the  great  Rory  More, 

And  bumper  his  horn  with  him.  twenty  times  o’er/’ 

We  talked  long  and  much  of  Norway  and  America ; and 
the  Norseman,  overflowing  with  wine  and  patriotism,  broke 
forth  in  song.  One — a famous  one — by  the  poet  Hanson, 

was  given  in  English,  as  follows  : 

“ Sons  of  the  famous  old  kingdom  that  never 
Rumor  of  valor  shall  cease  to  attend, — 

Sing  to  the  praise  of  old  Norway  forever  ! 

Festival  tunes  from  the  harp  let  ascend  ! 

When  we  c^jisider  where  we  are  dwelling, 

We  shall  remember  our  ancestors’  fame  ; 

Cheeks  will  be  glowing,  and  hearts  will  be  swelling, 

When  we  but  mention,  dear  Norway,  thy  name. 

“ Liberty’s  temple  in  Norway’s  erected, 

Ever  it  in  our  old  valleys  shall  stand — 

Safely  by  sheltering  mountains  protected, 

Free  as  the  thought  are  the  tongue  and  the  hand. 

Waves  from  the  north  sea,  wantonly  playing — 

Birds  in  the  wood,  are  not  freer  than  we — 

Still  we  our  self-given  laws  are  obeying, 

Equally  valiant,  and  faithful,  and  free. 

“ Glorious  country ! with  cloud-reaching  mountains, 

Corn-yielding  valleys,  and  fish-yielding  coast — 

Field-crossing  rivers,  and  crystal-clear  fountains. 

Ne’er  be  thy  ancient  high  dignity  lost. 


CLIMATE. 


33 


Truly  we  love  thee,  bravely  defend  thee, 

And  when  thou  call’st  shall  willingly  die. 

Honor  and  liberty  ever  attend  thee, 

And  thy  prosperity  reach  to  the  sky. 

Every  moment  of  the  time  we  passed  at  Mariesliist  was 
fraught  with  pleasure.  The  Norwegians  are  never  tired  of 
talking  of  their  country,  and  the  enthusiasm  they  manifest 
whenever  it  is  the  topic  of  conversation  is  almost  incred- 
ible. They  have  neither  forgotten  nor  forgiven  the  conduct 
of  Great  Britain,  and  speak  of  the  latter  country,  with  a 
degree  of  bitterness  that  forebodes  no  good  wishes  or  kind 
intentions,  in  the  event  of  a general  war.  The  British 
name  and  nation  is  everywhere  unpopular  in  Europe  : — not 
a trusty  ally,  not  a sincere  friend  has  she  upon  the  Conti- 
nent. The  United  States  are  by  far  the  best  disposed  of 
all  the  nations  of  the  world  toward  Great  Britain. 

The  climate  of  Norway  is  by  no  means  as  severe  as  that 
of  Sweden,  or  the  countries  in  the  same  latitude  to  the  east 
of  the  Baltic*  That  of  Christiania  is  milder  than  that  of 
Berlin  or  Warsaw.  The  cold  air  of  Siberia,  wafted  by  the 
east  winds  across  the  vast  plains  of  Russia,  and  across  the 
Baltic  upon  Sweden,  does  not  pass  the  Dofrines.  Trees 
which  grow  in  no  other  part  of  the  world  beyond  the  00°, 
flourish  in  Norway  at  59°.  The  winters  are  very  long,  but 
after  the  snows  have  fallen,  the  weather  though  quite  cold, 
is  steady,  bracing,  and  agreeable.  The  houses  are  well 
warmed,  and  colds  and  coughs  almost  unknown ; at  least, 
so  said  our  host,  who  wished  that  we  would  visit  him  in 
winter  time,  when  Norway  he  said  was  in  all  her  glory. 
But  it  is  time  to  leave  the  generous  ones  we  met  at 
Mary’s  Joy.  We  came  as  strangers  and  we  left  as  friends. 

2* 


34 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


We  said  many  times  adieu  after  repeated  solicitations  to 
prolong  the  visit ; and  after  a promise  on  our  part  to  send 
out  a hickory  to  be  planted  beside  the  laurel,  (our  Norse- 
man was  a Jackson  man;)  and  many  good  wishes  given 
and  returned,  we  took  the  carrioles  for  Drammen. 

The  ride  to  Drammen  was  very  beautiful,  even  more  so 
than  any  that  had  preceded  it  it.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
north  that  will  compare  with  the  country  in  this  part  of 
Norway.  The  landscape  is  enchanting ; the  appearance  of 
the  fields  and  farms  superb,  and  an  air  of  comfort  and  pro- 
priety quite  unsurpassed,  pervades  the  whole  district  that 
skirts  the  shore  of  the  Christiania  fiord.  Not  far  from 
Drammen  is  the  Paradise  Hill,  an  elevation  that  commands 
the  vale  of  Lier,  and  the  circumjacent  country,  and  pre- 
senting beneath  the  summer  sun  the  richness  and  glowing 
beauty  of  the  Italian  landscape.  The  beech,  the  elm,  and 
the  oak,  mingled  their  various  foliage,  near  by  fields  of 
grain,  and  gardens  filled  to  profusion  with  fruits  and  flowers. 
From  Drammen,  another  day’s  drive, — through  fertile  val- 
leys, checkered  with  fields  and  farms ; and  along  lakes 
formed  by  the  inlets  of  the  fiord,  and  bounded  by  mountains 
whose  sides  rise  up  precipitately,  much  like  the  pallisades 
upon  the  Hudson — took  us  to  the  village  or  town  of 
Holmenstrand  upon  the  fiord.  If  there  is  any  thing  in 
Holmenstrand  worthy  particular  observation,  it  is  simply 
its  pretty  situation  and  exceeding  cleanliness.  The  houses 
are  of  wood,  quite  small,  well  painted,  and  have  the  same 
neatness  and  niceness  so  remarkable  in  Norwegian  dwel- 
lings. Curtains  of  unimpeachable  whiteness  adorn  the 
windows,  and  flower-stands  containing  rare  shrubs  and 
plants  are  beside  the  doors : and  many  other  are  the  evi- 


THE  SOLDIERS. 


35 


dences  of  thrift  and  refinement  that  prevail  among  the 
fishermen  and  boatmen  who  live  at  Holmenstrand. 

Thence  we  crossed  the  fiord,  in  whose  transparent  waters 
we  saw  vast  shoals  of  fish.  In  some  parts  of  this  country, 
fresh  beef  is  seldom  obtained,  but  the  variety  and  abundance 
of  fish  more  than  compensates  for  this  deficiency,  and  the 
health  and  strength  of  the  Norwegians  would  seem  to  name 
it  a superior  diet.  We  landed  at  Tronwic,  where  we  pro- 
cured horses  to  Delinen,  a solitary  farm-house.  Though 
Delinen  stood  alone,  it  was  by  no  means  deserted ; for  a 
regiment  of  infantry  on  the  way  to  Fredrickshall,  the  for- 
tress where  Charles  the  Twelfth  terminated  his  adventurous 
career,  had  halted  near  to  take  their  noonday  meal.  The 
arms  were  stacked  in  a line  before  the  farm-house  ; the 
men,  in  blue  uniforms,  were  scattered  about  in  groups,  while 
great  activity  was  manifested  by  those  whose  duty  it  was  to 
provide  for  the  hungry  army.  The  officers  had  taken  pos- 
session of  the  larger  rooms  in  the  building,  and  a table  was 
already  prepared  in  one  of  them  when  we  entered.  The 
inmates  of  the  house  were  altogether  too  much  occupied 
to  listen  to  our  requests  for  refreshment.  It  was  in  vain 
that  we  tried  to  interrupt  the  passage  of  the  women  from 
the  kitchen  to  the  dining-room.  They  hurried  back  and 
forth,  with  knives  and  forks  and  dishes,  as  if  they  were 
distracted,  and  all  the  efforts  of  the  descendant  of  the  sea- 
kings  to  obtain  a hearing,  proved  in  vain.  The  unexpected 
arrival  of  the  military  had  taken  the  farmer  and  his  family 
by  surprise ; and  the  transition  from  the  usual  quiet  of  the 
premises,  to  the  din  and  confusion  that  now  prevailed, 
seemed  to  have  disordered  the  senses  of  the  inhabitants. 
We  left  therefore  for  Sartfoss,  twenty  miles  beyond.  The 


36  THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

country  we  now  passed  was  very  level  and  sandy,  and  pro- 
duced immense  crops  of  potatoes,  which  were  principally 
used  for  distillation. 

From  the  little  inn,  which  is  one  of  the  three  or  four 
houses  of  Sartfoss,  we  went  to  the  cataract  of  Halfslun,  one 
of  the  finest,  if  not  the  very  finest  cataract  in  Europe.  The 
whole  volume  of  the  Glommen,  the  largest  river  in  Scan- 
dinavia, falls  seventy  feet,  and  foams  and  roars  in  the  abyss 
below  with  tremendous  fury.  But  the  rocks  around  it,  dis- 
figured with  hideous  looking  saw-mills,  and  stripped  of  trees, 
present  an  unpleasant  aspect  and  injure  the  effect.  From 
Halfslun  we  pursued  our  way  through  the  same  sandy  coun- 
try to  the  town  of  Moss  on  the  Christiania  fiord.  We  met 
many  people  upon  the  road,  and  learned  that  a wedding  party 
had  called  the  gentry  of  the  country  to  the  little  town  of  Moss. 
A number  of  ladies  passed  us.  Some  were  on  horseback,  and 
others  in  carrioles.  One  of  the  latter  vehicles  was  different 
in  construction  from  any  we  had  seen.  An  elevated  seat 
was  placed  behind,  so  that  the  servant  could  drive,  if  nec- 
essary, without  incommoding  the  person  in  front.  It  was 
a lady’s  carriole.  As  a general  rule,  the  ladies  of  Norway 
take  the  reins.  Moss  is  situated  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
fiord.  A creek  passes  through  it  and  turns  more  than 
twenty  saw-mills.  The  fine  forests  of  fir  in  the  immedi- 
ate vicinity  afford  an  almost  inexhaustible  supply  of  timber. 
American  ships  coming  in  ballast  from  the  Baltic  frequently 
stop  here  and  take  in  deals,  which  are  carried  to  Dieppe  or 
Havre 


NORWEGIAN  LIBERTY. 


37 


CHAPTER  III. 

Norwegian  Liberty — Constitution — Laws — Schools — Elections — The 
Storthing. 

In  1813,  the  British  government  agreed  to  give  to  Berna- 
dotte,  recently  made  King  of  Sweden,  the  sovereignty  of 
Norway,  the  island  of  Gaudaloupe,  and  five  millions  of  dol- 
lars, upon  the  condition  that  he  should  join  the  allies  in  the 
war  against  Napoleon.  Carl  XIV.  Johan,  a soldier  of  for- 
tune, readily  assented  to  the  proposal,  and  the  kingdom  of 
Norway,  forcibly  detached  from  the  crown  of  Denmark, 
was  forcibly  annexed  to  the  crown  of  Sweden.  The  re- 
markable events  that  agitated  Europe  at  the  time,  as  well 
as  the  interest  and  the  safety  of  the  allies,  prevented  any  in- 
tervention, and  the  policy  of  England  was  triumphant.  It 
was  the  death-blow  to  the  power  and  importance  of  Den- 
mark. The  king  of  that  ancient  monarchy  was  obliged  to 
renounce  the  sovereignty  of  a country  that,  for  more  than 
one  thousand  years,  had  been  an  undisputed  portion  of  his 
realm. 

The  people  of  Norway,  speaking  the  language  of  the 
Danes,  connected  with  them  by  the  sentiments  of  a kindred 
race,  and  rejoicing  with  them  in  the  recollection  of  all  that 
was  most  glorious  in  a common  history,  indignantly  refused 
to  acknowledge  the  right  of  any  power  to  transfer  their  al- 
legiance from  one  party  to  another.  As  soon  as  thev  re- 


38 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ceived  notice  of  the  forced  abdication  of  the  king,  they 
elected  his  eldest  son  their  constitutional  monarch,  prepared 
a constitution,  declared  themselves  free  and  independent, 
and  flew  to  arms  to  resist  the  aggressions  of  Great  Britain. 
The  coast  was  blockaded  by  a British  fleet,  and  a host  of 
Swedes  invaded  the  eastern  frontiers.  The  latter  were 
driven  back  and  defeated,  and  the  Norsemen  remained  un- 
conquered and  undismayed.  At  length  it  was  agreed  be- 
tween the  contracting  parties  in  this  nefarious  business, 
that  Norway  should  retain  her  constitution,  her  separate 
independence,  her  liberty  and  laws,  upon  the  condition  of 
receiving  Charles  John  Bernadotte  as  the  constitutional 
sovereign.  Norway  accepted  the  arrangement;  the  crown 
prince  of  Denmark  willingly  resigned  a royalty  without  pre- 
rogative, and  in  1814,  the  crowns  of  Sweden  and  of  Norway 
were  united  under  the  guarantee  of  the  allied  powers.  The 
consequences  of  this  singular  proceeding,  have  been  as  re- 
markable as  they  were  unexpected.  It  has  proved  beyond 
all  question,  the  capability  of  a European  people  for  self- 
government,  and  it  has  clearly  and  distinctly  demonstrated, 
the  superior  and  extraordinary  benefits  that  may  result  from 
a perfect  state  of  political  liberty. 

Ever  since  the  union  of  Calmar,  in  the  fourteenth  cen- 
tury, the  Norwegians  had  lived  beneath  the  gentle  sway  of 
the  Danish  princes.  Even  when  the  Kings  of  Denmark  be- 
came absolute,  and  exercised  despotic  power  in  Denmark,, 
the  Norwegians  retained  the  simple  laws  and  liberties  of 
primeval  times,  as  expressed  in  the  code  of  Magnus  the 
Seventh,  a king  of  the  thirteenth  century.  At  a very  early 
period,  and  long  before  the  emancipation  of  the  serfs  of 
Denmark,  a digest  of  the  ancient  common  law,  called  the 


ANCIENT  COMMON  LAW. 


39 


Norway  law,  and  embracing  all  the  great  maxims  of  Nor- 
wegian liberty,  was  compiled  by  the  Danish  legislator  Grief- 
felfeld,  at  the  command  of  Christian  the  Fifth.  By  these 
laws,  the  rights  of  property  and  of  person, — such  as  have 
been  the  rights  of  the  Norsemen  from  time  immemorial,  and 
such  as  were  their  rights  when  the  people  of  the  rest  of  Eu- 
rope were  subjected  to  the  feudal  vassalage  of  the  middle 
ages, — were  recognized  and  acknowledged.  Among  these 
was  the  trial  by  jury,  which  is  unquestionably  of  Norwegian 
origin ; and  the  udal  system  of  holding  lands,  which  does 
not  admit  of  the  alienation  of  the  freehold  without  the  right 
of  redemption  by  the  heir  for  several  generations,  nor  hold 
to  the  fines  and  services  of  the  feudal  tenures.  These  laws 
were  in  operation  in  Norway,  when  Great  Britain  offered 
her  as  a propitiatory  gift  to  the  King  of  Sweden.  It  was  an 
offer  without  reserve.  There  was  no  compact  made  or 
mentioned,  that  secured  to  the  Norwegians  their  ancient 
laws  and  liberties.  As  the  charter  of  Christian  Fifth  of  Den- 
mark, would  not  be  binding  on  Charles  John  of  Sweden, 
or  any  other  monarch  to  whom  their  allegiance  would  be 
transferred,  they  resolved  to  secure  and  perfect  their  lib- 
erties by  a constitution.  The  delegates  to  the  convention 
summoned  for  this  purpose  met  on  the  tenth  of  April,  1814. 
On  the  twelfth,  a committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  it. 
This  committee  reported  the  next  day.  On  the  thirtieth  it 
was  adopted  by  the  convention,  and  on  the  sixteenth  of 
May  following,  was  ratified  by  the  people, — a'dispatch  that 
is  certainly  worthy  the  imitation  of  constitution-makers  in 
other  parts  of  the  world.  This  is  the  constitution  that  was 
accepted  by  the  King  of  Sweden.  It  maintains  the  ancient 
and  fundamental  institutions  of  the  country,  provides  for  the 


40 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


making  and  framing  of  the  laws  by  the  people,  the  liberty  of 
the  press,  and  the  freedom  of  discussion. 

The  Storthing,  or  Congress,  is  elected  every  three  years, — 
it  assembles  suo  jure , and  not  by  the  royal  proclamation. 
It  has  the  initiative  in  the  making  of  laws,  regulates  the 
currency,  taxes,  revenues,  and  expenditures  of  government, 
and  exercises  all  the  powers  necessary  for  a complete  ad- 
ministration of  the  affairs  of  the  country.  The  Storthing 
or  Congress,  immediately  after  it  assembles,  elects  a presi- 
dent and  chooses  from  among  its  members  one-fourth  of 
the  whole  body  to  constitute  an  upper  house  or  Senate, 
which  is  invested  with  powers  much  like  those  of  the  Sen- 
ate of  the  United  States,  and  exercises  judicial  functions  in 
cases  of  impeachment.  The  remainder  constitute  the  lower 
house  or  chamber  of  deputies,  corresponding  to  the  House 
of  Representatives  in  the  United  States.  A measure  pro- 
posed and  passed  in  the  lower  house,  is  sent  to  the  Senate 
for  confirmation  or  amendment,  as  in  other  bodies  thus  con- 
stituted. After  it  has  received  the  sanction  of  both  houses, 
it  requires  the  assent  of  the  king  to  become  lawful.  If  the 
royal  assent  is  refused,  the  next  Congress  may  advocate  and 
confirm  the  same  measure,  and  the  king  may  again  refuse 
his  assent ; — but  if  a third  Congress  shall  again  pass  it,  then 
it  becomes  a law,  the  veto  of  his  majesty  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding.  Every  native  of  Norway,  who  is  of  age, 
who  is  a tax-payer,  or  who  is  the  owner  of  a freehold  worth 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  who  is  not  a courtier  or 
office-holder,  or  disabled  by  reason  of  mental  infirmity,  or 
incapacitated  because  of  a conviction  or  imprisonment  for 
an  offence  against  the  welfare  of  society,  is  entitled  to  elect 
and  to  be  elected.  The  country  is  divided  into  election  dis- 


NORWEGIAN  CONSTITUTION. 


41 


tricts,  and  the  electors  are  registered  in  each  district.  Every 
three  years  the  voters  assemble  in  some  convenient  place,  and 
out  of  every  hundred  a delegate  is  chosen  to  attend  the  con- 
vention of  the  delegates  of  the  district,  who  choose  from 
among  themselves  as  many  members  as  the  district  may  be 
entitled  to  send  to  the  Storthing.  The  working  of  this  con- 
stitution has  been  all  that  could  be  desired.  Beneath  its 
influence,  the  progress  and  improvement  of  the  country,  and 
the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  people,  is  beyond  all 
precedent  in  European  history. 

When  Norway  and  Denmark  were  separated,  the  former 
assumed  a fair  proportion  of  the  public  debt,  a debt  that  was 
the  accumulated  burden  of  ages  of  extravagant  expenditure. 
During  the  short  period  of  thirty- three  years,  Norway  has 
nearly  paid  off  her  portion  of  this  debt.  Her  people  have 
been  relieved  from  grievous  taxation,  while  Denmark  has  done 
nothing  to  diminish  the  taxes  or  to  husband  the  revenue,  with 
a view  to  the  extinction  of  the  public  burdens.  In  Norway 
provision  has  been  made  for  the  general  diffusion  of  common- 
school  education.  Every  district  has  its  school-house  and 
its  teacher,  and  at  this  time  there  are  very  few  Norwegians 
who  cannot  read  and  write.  One  of  the  most  important 
laws  made  by  the  Storthing  after  the  establishment  of  the 
constitution,  provided  for  the  abolition  of  all  hereditary 
titles  of  nobility.  Owing  to  the  division  of  the  estates 
according  to  the  udal  system,  the  aristocracy  have  never 
assumed  any  importance,  or  exercised  any  influence  in 
Norway.  The  descendants  of  the  sea-kings,  and  of  the 
progenitors  of  some  of  the  great  Norman  families  of  France 
and  Great  Britain,  can  still  be  found  in  the  country,  but 
they  are  generally  peasant  proprietors,  without  wealth  and 


42 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


without  pretension.  The  Storthing,  therefore,  could  not 
have  been  induced  to  make  any  law  touching  those  titles 
already  in  being,  because  of  any  real  or  supposed  injury 
resulting  therefrom,  but  because  of  the  danger  that  might 
arise  from  the  future  creation  of  an  aristocracy  by  the  king, 
who  could  possibly  exercise  a controlling  influence  in  the 
country  by  the  issuing  of  letters  patent  of  nobility.  As  it 
was,  his  majesty  Charles  John,  evinced  the  most  decided 
hostility  to  the  proposed  law.  T wice  he  used  the  veto,  and 
when  the  third  Storthing  was  about  to  pass  the  measure  for 
the  third  time,  the  king  repaired  in  person  to  Christiania 
with  a large  force,  for  the  purpose  of  overawing  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Legislature,  and  defeating  this  important  meas- 
ure. This  was  a moment  of  great  excitement.  The 
constitution  was  threatened  with  violation,  and  Norway 
was  on  the  verge  of  a civil  war.  But  the  Storthing  was 
undismayed,  and  titles  of  nobility  were  forever  abolished  in 
the  land  of  Norway.  The  victory  was  complete.  The 
last  of  the  barons  was  buried  in  1842,  and  since  that  time 
not  a beggar  or  a baron  has  been  seen  in  Norway.  About 
the  same  period,  the  democracy  of  the  north  decided  that 
no  Jew  should  touch  the  soil  of  their  native  country ; but 
whether  this  was  a hint  to  the  Jews  in  general,  or  to  Charles 
John  in  particular, — whether  it  looked  to  the  safe-keeping 
of  the  silver  mines  of  Kongsberg  from  the  supposed  avarice 
of  the  one,  or  suggested  the  preservation  of  the  government 
patronage  from  the  rapacious  hands  of  the  other,  does  not 
fully  appear. 

The  Norwegians  say  that  the  form  of  their  governmen 
is  much  more  democratic,  and  much  more  advantageous 
than  that  of  the  United  States.  It  is  necessary  to  be  a 


ELECTIONS. 


43 


native  of  the  country,  a tax-payer  or  a freeholder,  and 
properly  registered,  to  be  entitled  to  exercise  the  privilege 
of  an  elector.  These  qualifications  they  consider  to  be  the 
primary  elements  in  a republican  form,  and  absolutely  nec- 
essary for  the  preservation  and  purity  of  democratic  institu- 
tions. They  say  that  if  the  Swedes  were  permitted  to 
come  and  vote  in  Norway,  that  Norway  would  soon  be 
reduced  to  the  state  and  government  of  Sweden  ; — that  a 
stranger  cannot  he  a proper  judge  of  what  is  right  and 
proper  for  the  country  ; — that  the  property  qualification  is 
merely  nominal,  just  enough  to  excite  to  industry,  and  such 
as  any  man  who  is  not  an  idler  or  a vagabond  can  earn 
between  one  election  and  another;  and  that  the  register 
is  an  additional  safeguard  to  the  virtue  and  purity  of  the 
ballot. 

These  simple  restrictions  and  the  election  of  delegates 
from  the  body  of  the  people,  who  again  choose  from  among 
themselves  the  members  of  the  Storthing,  they  suppose  to 
be  sufficient  to  guard  against  corruption  and  to  contain  the 
essential  elements  of  the  success  and  durability  of  their 
government.  They  say  that  the  great  democratic  feature 
of  their  constitution  consists  in  the  election  of  the  upper 
house  or  Senate,  from  among  the  members  of  the  Storth- 
ing or  whole  body  of  representatives,  coming  directly  from 
the  people.  They  hold  that  in  this  respect,  their  institu- 
tions are  more  democratic  than  those  of  the  United  States, 
where  a Senate,  an  entirely  distinct  and  separate  body, 
chosen  for  a longer  term  and  in  a different  manner  than 
the  representatives  of  the  lower  house,  exercise  a conserva- 
tive and  controlling  influence  in  the  executive  and  legisla- 
tive branches  of  the  government.  This  is  the  opinion  of 


44 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  Norwegians  themselves,  and  of  some  of  the  most  dis- 
tinguished persons  of  the  Swedish  court.  A gentleman  of 
decided  ability,  at  one  time  governor  of  Stockholm,  and 
subsequently  employed  in  an  eminent  civil  capacity,  a per- 
son whose  opinion  is  entitled  to  respect,  expressed  to  the 
writer  his  sincere  belief  that  the  Norwegian  constitution 
was  better  adapted  to  a republican  government  than  any 
that  had  ever  previously  been  made.  He  considered  the 
very  fact  of  the  King  of  Sweden  being  the  hereditary  chief 
or  president  of  Norway,  as  especially  fortunate  and  benefi- 
cial to  the  country,  inasmuch  as  the  king  possessed  no  influ- 
ence that  could  or  would  be  injurious  to  that  country ; 
while  on  the  other  hand,  Norway  was  saved  from  the  im- 
moral tendencies,  the  violence,  intrigue,  selfishness,  and  cor- 
ruption which,  he  supposed,  must  more  or  less  attend  the 
election  of  a chief  magistrate  from  the  body  of  the  people. 
The  Norwegians  who  read  of  the  excitement  and  commotion 
attending  the  presidential  canvass  in  the  United  States,  are 
very  apt  to  flatter  themselves  that  they  enjoy  all  the  bless- 
ings, and  are  relieved  from  all  the  evils  of  democracy. 

The  administration  of  the  civil  law  in  Norway  is  most 
admirably  contrived.  In  every  school  district,  the  freehold- 
ers elect  a Justice  of  the  Court  of  Reconciliation.  Every 
law-suit  must  first  be  brought  before  this  Justice,  and  by  the 
parties  in  person,  as  no  lawyer  or  attorney  is  allowed  to 
practise  in  this  court.  The  parties  appear  in  person,  and 
state  their  mutual  complaints  and  grievances  at  length,  and 
the  Justice  carefully  notes  down  all  the  facts  and  statements 
of  the  plaintiff  and  defendant,  and  after  due  consideration, 
endeavors  to  arrange  the  matter,  and  proposes  for  this  pur- 
pose, what  he  considers  to  be  perfectly  just  and  fair  in  the 


COURTS  OF  LAW. 


45 


premises.  If  his  judgment  is  accepted,  it  is  immediately 
entered  in  the  court  above,  which  is  a Court  of  Record  ; 
and  if  it  is  appealed  from,  the  case  goes  up  to  the  District 
Court,  upon  the  evidence  already  taken,  in  writing,  by  the 
Justice  of  the  Court  of  Reconciliation.  No  other  evidence 
is  admitted.  If  the  terms  proposed  by  the  Justice  are  pro- 
nounced to  be  just  and  reasonable,  the  party  appealing  has 
to  pay  the  costs  and  charges  of  the  appeal.  This  system  of 
minor  courts  prevents  a deal  of  unnecessary,  expensive,  and 
vexatious  litigation.  The  case  goes  up  from  court  to  court 
upon  the  same  evidence,  and  the  legal  argument  rests  upon 
the  same  facts,  without  trick  or  circumlocution  of  any  kind 
from  either  party.  There  is  no  chance  for  pettifoggers, — 
the  banditti  of  the  bar.  Poor,  or  rich,  or  stupid  clients 
cannot  be  deluded,  nor  Judge  or  Jury  mystified  by  the  skill 
of  sharp  practitioners  in  the  courts  of  law  in  Norway. 
More  than  two-thirds  of  the  suits  commenced  are  settled 
in  the  Court  of  Reconciliation,  and  of  the  remaining  third 
not  so  settled,  not  more  than  one-tenth  are  ever  carried  up. 

The  Judges  of  the  Norwegian  courts  are  responsible  for 
errors  of  judgment,  delay,  ignorance,  carelessness,  partiality 
or  prejudice.  They  may  be  summoned,  accused,  and  tried  in 
the  Superior  Court,  and,  if  convicted,  are  liable  in  damages 
to  the  party  injured.  There  are  therefore,  very  few  unwor- 
thy lawyers  in  the  Norwegian  courts.  The  bench  and  the 
bar  are  distinguished  for  integrity  and  learning.  They  have 
great  influence  in  the  community,  and  the  country  appreci- 
ates the  many  benefits  which  have  resulted  from  their  virtue 
and  their  wisdom. 

From  this  very  brief,  imperfect,  and  rapid  review  of  the 
political  and  civil  institutions  of  Norway,  the  main  sources 


46 


♦ THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


of  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of  the  people  will  be  discov- 
ered. While  all  Europe  had  been  convulsed  for  years  with 
a struggle  that  originated  in  the  name  of  liberty,  the  revo- 
lution by  which  the  Norwegians  were  transferred  from  a 
despotic  to  a republican  form  of  government,  was  noiseless 
and  unstained  with  blood.  It  was  not  the  fruit  of  faction 
or  civil  broil.  Neither  the  vagaries  of  genius,  nor  the  van- 
ity of  philosophy,  had  aught  to  do  with  its  creation.  A 
nation  who  had  inherited  the  laws  and  customs  of  primeval 
times ; who  had  never  been  debased  by  the  degrading  in- 
fluences of  the  feudal  system ; who  had  preserved  even  be- 
neath despotic  rule,  a proper  sense  of  the  nature  and  design 
of  liberty ; calmly  and  consistently  seized  the  opportunity 
presented  by  events,  over  which  they  had  no  control,  and 
which  effectually  repealed  their  loyalty  and  allegiance,  to 
declare  themselves  an  independent  and  republican  people. 
The  Bonder  of  Norway,  the  peasants  of  the  mountains 
and  the  valleys  of  a distant,  and  almost  unknown  region, 
quietly  assembled,  and  without  effort  or  parade,  without 
being  puzzled  with  metaphysical  difficulties,  or  delayed  by 
paradoxical  discussions  upon  human  rights,  made  and 
adopted  in  one  month,  a Constitution  that  is  found  to  an- 
swer all  the  purposes  of  good  government,  and  to  be  an 
honor  and  glory  to  the  country. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  history  of  the  times,  that  have 
succeeded  the  American  Revolution,  to  be  compared  with 
this  event  in  political  importance.  There  is  no  achieve- 
ment in  the  whole  catalogue  of  victories  and  wars  of  the 
present  century,  so  fraught  with  mighty  consequences  as 
this  establishment  of  a republican  stronghold  in  the  North 
of  Europe.  It  has  proved  to  the  world  that  the  most  start- 


INFLUENCE  OF  NORWAY. 


4? 


ling  changes  in  the  condition  of  human  societies,  can  be 
effected  without  bloodshed  or  confusion.  It  has  shown, 
that  in  some  countries,  the  public  mind  can  tolerate  the  de- 
spotic forms,  and  not  feel  the  weight  of  despotism ; that 
subjects  can  be  loyal  and  not  the  slaves  of  loyalty,  and  ‘Can 
await  and  embrace  a proper  opportunity  to  vindicate  the 
wants  and  wishes  of  civilized  society.  There  is  no  doubt 
but  that  the  example  and  influence  of  Norway,  will  in- 
crease the  confidence  and  guide  the  efforts,  of  the  en- 
lightened minds  of  Europe.  There  is  no  doubt,  but  that 
her  glory  and  success  will  stimulate  the  emulation  of  the 
German  and  other  European  states,  and  lead  to  the  devel- 
opment of  those  intelligent  ideas,  which  alone  can  give  the 
victory  to  the  people. 


48 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Gottenburg— Gotha  Canal — Falls  of  Trolhaetta— Vretakloster — Rustic  Ball 
— A Hoosier. 

At  Moss,  we  met  the  steamer  coming  down  the  fiord 
from  Christiania  ; dismissed  the  descendant  of  the  sea-kings, 
and  saying  adieu  to  the  pleasant  land  of  Norway,  took  pas- 
sage to  Gottenburg.  Gottenburg  is  one  of  those  dull  and 
uninteresting  places,  that  have  but  little  claim  upon  the  at- 
tention of  the  traveller.  It  is  said  to  have  been  at  one  time 
a town  of  considerable  commercial  importance,  and  contains 
some  good  streets  and  fine  houses,  which  look  as  if  they  may 
have  been  the  residence  of  a thriving  race  of  merchants. 

So  we  hastened  on  board  the  steam-packet,  the  Admiral 
Von  Platen,  bound  via  the  Gotha  canal,  for  Stockholm. 
This  boat  was  exceedingly  uncomfortable  in  point  of  accom- 
modation. The  cabins,  fore-and-aft,  were  small  and  miser- 
ably contrived,  and  deficient  in  the  most  ordinary  articles 
of  convenience  and  ornament.  There  is  not  a common 
canal  boat  or  river  barge  in  the  United  States,  that  does 
not  afford  better  accommodation  than  the  steam  passenger 
packets  that  ply  upon  the  Gotha  canal.  The  cabin  in  the 
stern  of  the  Admiral  Von  Platen,  a warm,  badly  lighted,  and 
badly  ventilated  apartment,  contained  the  berths,  little  nar- 
row, contracted  beds  of  torture,  hardly  wide  enough  or  long 
enough  to  contain  the  person  of  a pigmy.  The  fore  cabin, 


THE  ADMIRAL  VON  PLATEN. 


49 


nothing  more  than  a good-sized  pantry,  was  reserved  as  a 
restaurant  and  kitchen.  Two  or  three  chairs  and  tables 
were  crowded  in  the  middle  of  it  for  the  reception  of  the 
travellers,  some  of  whom  were  noblemen  and  ladies  of  the 
Swedish  court,  and  who  breakfasted,  dined  and  supped 
upon  such  fare,  as  would  perfectly  satisfy  the  craving  of 
those  adventurers  who  seek  for  something  out  of  the  usual 
line  of  edibles.  Never  before  and  never  since,  have  we 
beheld  so  indescribable  a compound  of  sweet  and  sour ; so 
singular  a combination  of  color  taste  and  smell ; so  curious 
a comminglement  of  fluid  and  solid  matter,  as  that  of  the 
cuisine  on  board  of  the  Admiral  Yon  Platen.  The  very 
water  seemed  impregnated  with  mineral  solutions ; and  the 
rye  bread  was  black  with  aniseed  and  other  mixtures. 

Soon  after  leaving  Gottenburg  we  passed  the  rapids  at 
Lilia  Edet,  and  in  the  afternoon  reached  the  great  locks, 
made  to  avoid  the  falls  of  Trolhaetta.  The  most  impor- 
tant, and  only  great  difficulty  in  making  the  canal  of 
Gotha,  was  that  attending  the  circumnavigation  of  these 
falls,  and  the  ascent  and  descent  of  an  elevation  of  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  For  this  purpose,  a se- 
ries of  locks  and  a canal  have  been  constructed,  to  avoid 
the  falls  and  the  impetuous  current  of  the  river  Gotha. 

The  falls  are  the  only  serious  impediment  to  the  free 
navigation  from  the  North  Sea  to  the  Baltic ; for  nature, 
by  a chain  of  rivers  and  lakes,  has  connected  the  eastern 
and  western  coasts  of  Sweden.  To  overcome  this  impedi- 
ment was  a matter  of  great  importance  to  the  country,  and 
the  attention  of  the  Swedish  monarchs  was  directed  to  the 
subject  at  an  early  period.  After  several  fruitless  attempts 
to  surmount  the  difficulty,  Gustavus  Third  succeeded  in 

3 


50 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


finishing  this  great  work,  which,  although  not  entitled  to 
the  extravagant  praises  that  have  been  bestowed  upon  it, 
is  nevertheless,  most  creditable  to  the  age  in  which  it  was 
accomplished.  The  channel,  which  was  excavated  from 
the  solid  rock  at  an  almost  incredible  expense,  is  alto- 
gether too  narrow  to  be  used  as  a ship  canal.  In  conse- 
quence of  this  unfortunate  defect,  the  navigation  of  these 
inland  seas  must  be  confined  to  a very  inferior  class  of 
vessels.  The  falls  of  Trolhaetta  are  considered  the  finest 
in  Europe.  The  Lake  Wenner  has  forced  a passage, 
and  escapes  through  a channel  worked  in  the  body  of 
the  solid  rock.  This  is  the  head  of  the  fall;  from  this 
point  the  dashing  waters  leap  from  rock  to  rock,  in  a 
prolonged  and  broken  cataract,  nearly  a mile  in  length. 
The  bold  and  well-defined  outlines  of  the  naked  hills  of 
stone,  the  broken  crags  and  precipices  supporting  stunted 
and  blasted  firs,  and  the  universal  barrenness  and  sterility 
of  all  around  this  magnificent  fall  of  water,  give  it  a cold 
and  savage  beauty,  that  partakes  more  of  the  grand  than 
the  picturesque.  It  has  many  beauties  all  its  own,  but  we 
thought  it  wanted  breadth  and  volume  to  equal  the  falls  we 
had  seen  upon  the  Glommen.  An  American  will  find  little 
in  either  to  answer  the  expectations  that  have  been  excited 
by  the  glowing  descriptions  of  travellers.  If  he  has  seen 
those  of  the  Niagara  and  the  Passaic,  he  will  find  nothing 
in  Scandinavia  that  will  surprise  or  please  him  in  the  way 
of  waterfalls.  He  will  find  more  to  admire  in  those  of 
Terni  or  of  Tivoli,  than  in  all  those  of  the  north. 

The  time  occupied  in  the  passage  of  the  locks  enables 
the  passenger  to  spend  several  hours  on  shore.  There  are 
many  saw-mills  upon  the  Trolhaetta,  and  near  by,  a village 


GOTHA  CANAL. 


ol 


of  several  hundred  inhabitants  principally  employed  in  the 
timber  trade.  The  country  about  is  covered  with  hillocks  of 
granite  and  gneiss,  with  small  patches  of  soil  between,  which 
are  carefully  cultivated.  The  cottages  are  small  and 
painted  red  ; the  people  are  neatly  dressed  ; all  appeared  in 
favor  of  a very  poor  country,  except  the  beggars  who  beset 
our  path  and  asked  for  money.  Many  of  these  were  well 
clad  and  hearty,  and  played  the  pauper  very  badly,  and 
quite  unnecessarily.  The  asking  of  alms  is  a trade  in  many 
European  countries,  and  among  the  children  in  a poor 
community  is  engendered  by  example  and  confirmed  by 
habit.  The  day  after  leaving  Trolhaetta,  we  entered  the 
Wenner  Lake.  Skirting  the  islands,  the  mountain  shores, 
and  the  castled  eminences  of  this  land-locked  sea,  we  passed 
the  little  canal  of  Westgotha,  to  enter  upon  the  Lake  Wet- 
ter, another  vast  link  in  the  chain  of  the  internal  navi- 
gation of  Sweden.  Crossing  to  the  eastern  side  of  this,  we 
entered  the  canal  of  Ostgotha,  and  descended  through  a 
series  of  locks,  into  the  small  Lake  of  Boren.  We  were 
detained  some  time  in  the  passage  of  the  locks,  and  as  the 
hour  was  late,  the  captain  concluded  to  remain  at  anchor 
for  the  balance  of  the  night.  Although  there  was  scarcely 
an  hour  of  darkness  at  this  season,  the  boat  was  always 
stopped  about  nine  o’clock,  because  of  the  supposed  danger 
of  the  navigation  during  the  obscurity  that  prevailed  to- 
ward midnight. 

On  this  particular  occasion  we  did  not  regret  the  delay, 
inasmuch  as  we  managed  to  pass  the  evening  quite  as 
agreeably  as  we  could  have  done  on  board  the  Admiral 
Yon  Platen.  We  met  at  this  point  the  packet-boat  from 
Stockholm,  which  was  also  moored  to  the  shore  until  the 


52 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


morning.  She  was  crowded  with  passengers,  and  the 
landing  place  was  animated  with  the  presence  of  a large 
party  of  travellers.  Besides,  it  happened  to  be  a fete  day, 
and  the  idle  peasantry  of  the  neighborhood  in  their  best 
attire,  had  assembled  to  witness  the  arrival  of  the  boats. 
We  went  to  visit  the  old  stone  church  of  Vretakloster ; a 
church  constructed  very  much  like  those  sacred  edifices 
which  were  built  at  a very  early  period  in  England..  The 
path  to  it  lay  through  fields  of  grain,  and  meadows  fairly 
sparkling  with  wild  flowers.  A quiet  farm-house  lay  here 
and  there,  and  a range  of  hills  bounded  the  distant  horizon. 
The  church  is  very  small  and  of  great  age.  It  contains  sev- 
eral tombs,  which  are  said  to  conceal  the  ashes  of  several 
ancient  and  petty  kings.  There  was  also  the  sepulchre  of 
a family  of  the  Douglas.  It  is  ornamented  with  the  arms 
and  banners  of  that  famous  race,  whose  valor  is  so  con- 
spicuous on  the  page  of  Scottish  history.  The  Douglas 
who  lies  buried  in  the  church  of  Vretakloster,.  left  his  coun- 
try to  enter  the  service  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  His  gal- 
lantry was  rewarded  with  the  approbation  of  the  sovereign, 
and  the  hand  of  the  heiress  of  the  estates  of  Vretakloster. 
The  most  distinguished  names  of  Scotland  are  found  in 
Sweden.  Numbers  of  warlike  and  mercenary  chiefs, 
driven  by  feud  or  famine  from  the  borders,  and  captivated 
with  the  fame,  or  allured  by  the  promises  of  the  Swedish 
monarchs,  settled  in  the  country  with  their  retainers.  In 
the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  one  body  of  these 
Dalgetty  warriors  about  three  thousand  i'n  number,  under 
the  command  of  Lord  Sinclair  landed  in  Norway,  with  the 
intention  of  crossing  the  country  into  Sweden  and  joining 
the  banners  of  the  Lion  of  the  North.  Their  excesses 


A MERRY-MAKING. 


53 


aroused  the  ire  of  the  Norwegians,  and  they  were  attacked 
among  the  mountains,  routed  and  slain. 

The  reflections  excited  at  the  tomb  of  Douglas,  were 
soon  lost  in  the  more  amusing  scenes  that  awaited  us  in 
another  quarter.  We  were  informed  that  the  peasantry 
were  assembled  at  a merry-making  in  a barn  near  by,  and 
thither  we  repaired  to  witness  the  rustic  dance  of  Swe- 
den. The  men  in  round- a-bout  jackets,  breeches  of  gray 
cloth,  white  or  blue  woollen  stockings,  and  very  thick 
and  heavy  shoes,  and  the  women  in  queer  white  caps 
and  long  gowns,  were  dancing  to  the  music  of  their  own 
voices.  They  capered  and  laughed  like  overgrown  chil- 
dren, but  with  the  exception  of  a few  who  had  been  drink- 
ing freely,  were  exceedingly  well  behaved.  In  the  midst  of 
a dance  that  seemed  quite  tame  for  the  want  of  instru- 
mental music,  we  were  surprised  at  the  entrance  of  a tall 
and  handsome  person  with  a violin.  His  entrance  wTas 
greeted  with  applause,  and  amidst  the  clapping  of  hands  and 
the  cheers  of  the  company,  he  tuned  up  a forlorn  old  instru- 
ment borrowed  for  the  occasion  from  a neighboring  farmer. 
We  immediately  discovered  that  the  volunteer  fiddler  was 
a countryman  of  ours.  He  was  a Hoosier  from  Indiana — - 
had  arrived  in  the  boat  from  Stockholm ; was  unaccom- 
panied by  any  living  mortal  of  his  acquaintance ; was  en- 
tirely ignorant  of  any  language  except  the  English ; but 
was  nevertheless,  the  favorite  of  every  body  in  the  party, 
and  perfectly  delighted  with  every  thing  he  saw.  His 
fiddle  being  tuned,  he  struck  up  some  airs  never  probably 
heard  before  in  the  land  of  the  Goths  and  Vandals.  They 
seemed  at  first  altogether  unsuited  to  the  measure  of  the 
Swedish  country  dance,  a mongrel  between  the  wraltz  and 


54 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


polka ; but  by  dint  of  trying,  the  whole  company  were  soon 
in  full  and  successful  movement,  to  the  bewitching  sounds 
of  “ Old  Dan  Tucker.”  It  was  a scene  ludicrous  beyond 
description, — the  musician  himself  leading  the  dance,  and 
the  whole  assembly  following  after  with  an  ardor  that  threat- 
ened to  shake  down  the  rafters  of  the  building.  Our  ver- 
satile countryman,  in  defiance  of  his  inability  to  understand 
or  be  understood,  managed  to  appear  the  most  agreeable 
of  men,  and  to  win  the  most  regards  from  the  fair-haired 
and  fair-complexioned  damsels.  We  met  him  afterwards 
at  Paris,  a favorite  in  the  most  refined  society  in  Europe. 

The  long  summer  twilight  was  on  the  wane  when  we 
left  the  scene  of  mirth  to  retire  to  the  boat,  and  a few  hours 
after,  we  were  off  again  upon  our  journey  in  the  broad  light 
of  day.  Passing  several  small  and  very  beautiful  lakes,  we 
entered  an  inlet  of  the  Baltic,  upon  the  eastern  coast  of 
Sweden.  This  inlet  is  inclosed  with  promontories,  and  is 
in  appearance,  the  counterpart  of  the  lakes  we  had  already 
passed.  A canal  admitted  us  from  this  inlet  to  the  Malar 
Lake,  the  most  beautiful  of  all  these  inland  seas.  It  winds 
among  a thousand  islands,  and  between  the  bold  and  narrow 
shores  for  many  a mile,  until  it  washes  the  western  base  of 
the  hills  on  which  is  built  the  capital  of  Sweden.  The  ap- 
proach to  Stockholm  is  magnificent,  unsurpassed  perhaps 
for  natural  beauty.  The  city  itself,  as  seen  from  the  Malar 
Lake,  does  not  present  an  imposing  aspect ; but  for  beauty 
of  situation,  it  is  entitled  to  all  the  praises  the  traveller  can 
bestow. 


STOCKHOLM. 


55 


CHAPTER  V. 

Stockholm — Hotels — Royal  Palace — Ritterholm  Kirk — The  Court  and  Peo- 
ple— Opera — Jenny  Lind. 

Having  passed  four  days  in  a voyage  which  should  have 
only  taken  two,  after  suffering  from  bad  food  and  bad  accom- 
modation, after  the  wearisome  and  unnecessary  delay  so  usual 
in  travelling  upon  the  continent,  we  landed  in  the  Swedish 
capital.  After  passing  the  usual  custom-house  and  police 
formalities,  that  is  to  say,  having  paid  the  officers  to  spare 
us  all  further  trouble,  we  went  in  search  of  a hotel.  But 
no  such  establishment,  according  to  our  understanding 
of  that  term,  could  we  find  in  Stockholm.  Upon  every 
other  house  we  passed,  we  observed  the  sign  “Rum  fur 
rescinded  but  this,  for  some  reason  or  other  we  thought  to 
signify  “ rum  for  sale,”  and  it  was  not  until  nearly  exhausted 
with  the  fatigue  attending  a walk  upon  the  most  excruci- 
ating pavements  in  the  world,  that  we  were  suddenly  illumi- 
nated with  the  discovery  that  Rum  fur  rescinde  signified 
“ Rooms  to  let.”  We  were  no  longer  at  a loss,  for  almost 
every  other  house  had  “ Rum  fur  rescinde We  entered 
one  of  these,  a lofty  building  with  hall  floors  and  stair-ways 
laid  in  solid  stone.  These  were  carefully  chalked  to  prevent 
a slip  upon  the  stone,  smooth  and  polished  with  constant 
use.  This  chalking  is  done  in  some  instances  with  consid- 
erable neatness,  and  the  passages  of  the  house  we  entered 


56 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


were  ornamented  with  rows  of  stars  and  circles.  The  fur- 
niture and  arrangement  of  the  rooms  in  these  houses  are  in 
the  French  style,  and  we  almost  fancied  we  saw  some  old 
Parisian  acquaintances  from  the  rue  Tronchet,  in  the  cur- 
tains, hangings,  and  gilt  decorations  of  those  we  occupied. 
As  a general  rule  the  lodger  is  obliged  to  hire  his  apartments 
for  a week  at  a time,  and  resort  to  some  restaurant  for  his 
breakfast  and  other  meals ; and  the  only  reason  given  for 
this  singular  practice  is,  that  a license  was  required  to  keep 
a lodging-house  and  another  to  keep  a restaurant ; and  that 
the  government  refused  to  grant  both  to  the  same  individual 
without  exacting  a large  sum  of  money  for  the  privilege. 

Stockholm  was  an  unimportant  city  until  a recent  period. 
The  flat  between  the  hills  was  occupied  and  fortified  in  the 
thirteenth  century.  The  buildings  were  erected  upon  piles 
in  consequence  of  the  marshy  nature  of  the  soil.  From  this 
circumstance  it  was  called  Stockholm,  or  the  Island  of  Piles. 
It  was  not  the  royal  residence  until  the  seventeenth  century, 
and  owes  whatever  it  has  of  grandeur  and  extent  to  the 
monarchs  who  have  embellished  it  since  that  time.  The 
streets,  with  a few  exceptions,  are  very  narrow,  without 
sidewalks,  and  so  wretchedly  paved  as  to  be  absolutely  pain- 
ful to  the  pedestrian.  They  are  suited  only  to  the  wooden 
shoes  and  iron  heels  whose  reverberations  are  perpetual. 
The  buildings  are  lofty,  of  stone  or  brick,  plastered  and 
whitewashed,  and  of  no  architectural  merit  whatever.  The 
shops,  which  are  very  insignificant,  occupy  the  basement 
story,  and  the  flats  above  contain  each  one  a different  family. 

This  city  is  singularly  deficient  in  fine  edifices,  and  would 
be  very  uninteresting,  were  it  not  for  the  views  from  the 
various  heights.  Then  it  is  that  the  white  mass  of  houses, 


THE  ROYAL  PALACE. 


57 


churches  and  palaces,  rising  amphitheatrically,  appear  so 
beautiful.  It  stands  on  several  islands  and  peninsulas  washed 
on  one  side  by  the  Malar  Lake,  and  on  the  other  by  the  Bal- 
tic. Both  to  the  east  and  west,  the  waters  are  crowded 
with  little  fleets  of  vessels,  which  appear  and  disappear 
among  the.  innumerable  islands  scattered  in  the  expanse ; 
while  the  shores  of  the  north  and  south,  varied  with  ravines, 
eliffs,  and  forests  of  pine  and  fir,  present  a prospect  as 
romantic  as  any  in  the  world.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  of 
any  thing  more  enchanting.  There  is  nothing  with  which 
it ‘will  compare.  There  is  no  place  like  it  in  appearance, 
and  yet  it  is  of  the  kind  that  recalls  the  glowing  colors  of 
the  Bosphorus.  As  New  York  is  to  Naples,  so  is  Stock- 
holm to  Constantinople.  The  most  conspicuous  building  in 
thei  capital  is  the  royal  palace,  finished  by  Gustavus  the 
Third.  It  is  quadrangular  in  form,  and  in  the  pure  Grecian 
style  of  art.  It  fronts  upon  the  Baltic,  which  is  here  lined  with 
a granite  quay,  and  ornamented  with  a statue  of  Gustavus 
the  Third  by  Sergei.  This  statue  was  erected  by  the  people 
to  commemorate  the  victory  of  that  prince  over  the  Rus- 
sians in  1790.  The  interior  of  the  palace  is  not  remarka- 
ble for  splendor  ; the  pictures  are  very  inferior,  the  statuary 
very  fine.  There  are  many  casts  of  the  antique  models 
which  were  presented  to  Charles  the  Eleventh  by  Louis  the 
Fourteenth  ; but  the  principal  part  of  the  collection  was  pur- 
chased by  the  third  Gustavus  during  his  residence  in  Italy. 
This  highly  gifted  king  displayed  in  the  selection  of  these 
productions,  the  exquisite  taste  for  which  he  was  distin- 
guished. Many  of  the  pieces  were  taken  from  Herculaneum, 
and  cost  large  sums  of  money,  which  expenditure  was  a 
constant  scource  of  complaint  to  the  enemies  of  Gustavus. 

3* 


bs 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


The  works  of  Sergei  however,  form  the  principal  attraction 
of  the  museum  of  the  royal  palace.  They  are  the  pride  of 
the  Swedes  and  are  wonderfully  fine.  His  Cupid  and 
Psyche,  and  his  Venus,  and  many  other  of  his  best  produc- 
tions are  in  this  palace.  If  Sergei  had  lived  in  Italy  instead 
of  Sweden,  he  would  have  shared  the  praises  that  were 
heaped  upon  Canova. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  localities  in  Stockholm,  is  the 
Ritterholm  Kirk, — the  church  of  the  Island  of  the  Knights. 
It  contains  the  tombs  of  the  great  Gustavus  Adolphus, 
the  heroic  Charles  the  Twelfth,  and  other  monarchs  of  the 
house  of  Vasa.  Hundreds  of  tattered  banners,  the  trophies 
of  successful  war,  torn  from  the  Russian,  the  German,  and 
the  Spaniard,  hang  from  the  walls  in  gloomy  grandeur. 
The  armor  and  the  bloody  suits  of  Charles  and  of  Gusta- 
vus, in  which  they  fought  and  fell,  are  among  the  other 
relics  of  these  valiant  soldiers.  Not  far  from  this  church  is 
the  Ritterhaus,  or  house  of  the  nobles.  The  walls  are  filled 
with  the  escutcheons  and  ensigns  armorial  of  the  Swedish 
aristocracy,  and  the  body  of  the  hall  is  occupied  with  the 
separate  seats  of  the  nobles,  the  clergy,  the  burghers,  and 
the  peasants,  who  constitute  the  estates  of  Sweden,  and 
who  assemble  here  every  five  years  to  consider  upon  the 
affairs  and  the  condition  of  the  country. 

The  number  of  nobles  alone  who  are  entitled  to  vote 
exceeds  twelve  hundred ; as  these  are  only  the  heads  of 
the  noble  families  of  Sweden,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of 
the  immense  number  of  persons  who  claim  the  privileges 
and  the  rank  of  blood  and  birth.  The  Swedish  govern- 
ment, like  most  other  governments,  was  originally  formed 
upon  the  representative  system.  Although  the  people  were 


RITTERHOLM  KIRK. 


59 


represented,  and  the  house  of  the  peasants  constituted  one 
of  the  estates,  many  of  the  Swedish  monarchs  have  been 
almost  absolute ; a circumstance  that  teaches  us  how  mate- 
rially the  practice  of  government  may  differ  from  its  theory, 
and  how  much  more  real  freedom  is  dependent  on  the  intel- 
ligence and  virtue  of  the  people,  than  upon  the  mere  forms 
of  the  constitution.  At  the  end  of  the  last  century,  Gusta- 
• vus  the  Third,  who  considered  it  “ the  greatest  honor  to  be 
the  first  citizen  of  a free  people/’  took  advantage  of  the 
anarchy  that  prevailed  among  the  different  orders  of  the 
estates,  managed  to  abridge  the  power  of  the  diet,  and  build 
up  a government  quite  despotic  in  form  and  character.  Ber- 
nadotte  when  chosen  king,  was  obliged  to  renew  some  of 
the  fights  and  privileges  of  the  estates,  but  these  are  so  few 
or  so  unimportant  as  to  be  of  very  little  consequence,  inas- 
much as  no  law  can  be  made  without  the  sanction  of  the 
king. 

This  old  hall  of  the  knights  is  associated  with  some  of  the 
most  glorious  memories  in  Swedish  history.  Gustavus  Vasa, 
after  the  liberation  of  his  country,  entered  this  hall  in  tri- 
umph and  was  declared  king,  amidst  the  joyful  acclama- 
tions of  the  estates.  It  was  the  scene  of  the  last  and  affec- 
tionate interview  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  with  his  subjects, 
preceding  his  departure  for  the  memorable  war  which  he 
conducted ; it  witnessed  also  the  election  of  Christina,  the 
infant  daughter,  who  w*as  hailed  as  the  image  and  suc- 
cesssor  of  the  mighty  father,  dead  in  the  field  of  Lutzen. 
A noble  old  hall ! — thronged  with  immortal  reminiscences, 
— the  resting  place  of  the  spirit  that  aroused  and  animated 
the  princes  of  Germany  in  the  evangelical  union  against  the 
Imperialists. — a spirit  triumphant  in  the  war  of  thirty  years, 


60 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


— that  confirmed  the  rights  of  Protestants,  and  first  recog- 
nized the  balance  of  European  power,  by  the  settlement  and 
peace  of  Westphalia  in  1648.  There  are  few  capitals  in  the 
world  more  interesting  in  historical  association, — few  coun- 
tries whose  history  is  more  romantic.  The  virtues  and  the 
valor  of  the  early  princes  of  the  house  of  Vasa  are  easily 
remembered  beside  their  tombs,  and  naturally  awaken  a 
sympathy  for  their  unfortunate  and  banished  children  It 
is  as  easy  to  account  for  the  inconsistency  of  men  as  the 
ingratitude  of  nations ; and  it  is  in  vain  that  we  would  rec- 
oncile the  presence  of  a king,  who  is  an  alien  by  blood  and 
birth,  and  a stranger  to  the  language,  religion,  and  the  cus- 
toms of  the  country.  We  may  indeed  remember  the  expul- 
sion of  a gallant  race  from  England  and  the  succession  of 
a double-dealing  dynasty  ; nor  would  it  be  a task  to  enumer- 
ate the  nations  who  in  time  have  severed  their  allegiance, 
and  thrown  off  their  burdens  and  their  loyalty.  But  the 
circumstances  attending  the  abdication  of  the  Vasa,  have 
nothing  in  common  with  the  revolution  that  expelled  the 
Stuarts ; and  it  would  be  idle  to  search  for  the  great  prin- 
ciplos  of  public  or  private  right  which  followed  the  transfer 
of  the  Swedish  crown.  Sweden  lost  the  line  of  kings  whose 
names  are  interwoven  with  her  fame,  without  a single  ben- 
efit in  return  for  so  great  a sacrifice.  A foreigner,  a soldier 
of  fortune,  and  a disciple  of  the  church  of  Rome,  filled  the 
throne  of  the  martial  monarchs,  the  champions  of  the  Ref- 
ormation. 

Bernadotte,  for  by  this  name  Charles  the  Fourteenth  will 
be  always  known,  was  by  no  means  popular.  His  adminis-. 
tration  of  the  government  was  however,  generally  benefi 
cial,  and  his  conduct  always  marked  by  the  great  sagacity 


BERNADOTTE. 


61 


for  *which  he  was  distinguished.  The  stories  told  of  his 
avarice,  may  have  originated  from  the  unostentatious  sim- 
plicity of  his  manners,  which  were  formed  in  the  camp,  and 
unaccustomed  to  the  expenditure  and  display  of  royalty. 
He  often  referred  to  the  period  when  he  received  from 
Napoleon  the  appointment  of  governor  of  Louisiana.  His 
.arrangements  were  made  to  leave  Europe  for  the  western 
hemisphere,  and  he  was  already  agitated  with  hopes  and 
care.s  • for  a successful  establishment  in  the  distant  colony, 
when  the  First  Consul  determined  to  pursue  a different 
course  and  Louisiana  was  sold  to  the  United  States. 

■ The  manners  of  the  Swedish  court  in  the  reign  of  Charles 
the  Eleventh,  were  modelled  after  those  that  prevailed  at 
Versailles  in  the  time  of  his  contemporary  Louis  the  Four- 
teenth ; and  if  the  open  frivolity  and  licentiousness,  that 
distinguished  the ’courtiers  of  that  age,  can  be  said  to  prevail 
at  present  in  any  capital  in  Europe,  that  capital  is  Stock- 
holm. The  example  of  the  higher  is  always  imitated  by 
the  lower  orders  in  society,  and  the  population, — the  Lu- 
theran population  of  Stockholm, — will  equal,  if  it  does  not 
surpass,  that  of  Vienna,  in  careless  gayety  and  ceaseless 
dissipation.  All  the  sons  of  noblemen  inherit  alike  the 
titles  of  the  father,  and  the  number  of  idle  young  gentle- 
men who  frequent  the  capital  and  hang  about  the  court,  is 
almost  incredible.  Many  of  them  are  poor  and  worthless, 
but  they  derive  a certain  consequence  and  much  consola- 
tion, from  the  deference  paid  to  hirth.  They  maintain  the 
measured  courtesies  and  exact  all  that  is  due  to  rank,  with 
great  particularity.  The  same  ceremonious  air  and  stiff 
observance  of  etiquette  is  more  or  less  perceptible  in  the 
manners  of  the  people.  The  polite  address  of  the  Swedes 


62 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


was  noticed  by  Voltaire,  who  was  pleased  to  call  them  the 
French  of  the  north.  An  arrival  or  leave-taking  is  greeted 
with  bows  innumerable,  and  a stranger  in  the  country  is 
very  apt  to  be  surprised  with  the  profusion  of  compliments 
and*civilities  he  receives  from  those  he  never  saw  before, 
and  may  never  see  again.  Beneath  these  forms  of  com- 
plaisance, there  exists  the  utmost  indifference,  and  under 
the  appearance  of  self-respect,  the  most  awful  depravity  of 
manners.  Although  there  is  nothing  in  the  slightest  degree 
improper  in  the  public  deportment  of  the  people,  the  reports 
of  the  police  reveal  the  fact,  that  more  than  one-half  the 
children  born  in  Stockholm  are  illegitimate. 

The  inhabitants  of  Stockholm  are  a remarkably  hand- 
some race.  The  men  excel  in  stature  and  manly  beauty, 
and  wear  a mustache  almost  white  and  perfectly  in  keep- 
ing with  the  light  hair  and  light  eyes  of  the  north.  The 
women  are  surpassing  fair  in  face  and  figure  ; — the  blondes, 
and  blue  eyes,  and  golden  tresses,  without  compare  in  all 
creation.  Besides  the  titled  ladies  of  the  court,  the  Coun- 
tesses and  the  Baronesses  without  number,  they  have  in 
Sweden  other  degrees,  distinguished  by  other  terms.  The 
Frau,  is  a simple  lady — the  Frauken,  a young  lady — Mad- 
ame, the  wife  of  a tradesman — Mademoiselle  or  Mamzelle, 
a tradesman’s  daughter ; while  an  upper  servant  girl  is 
called  a Jomfrau,  and  an  ordinary  one  a Flica.  The  Flicas 
are  the  grisettes  of  Stockholm.  They  serve  at  the  cafes  ; 
they  wait  at  the  restaurants  and  baths  ; they  brush  clothes 
and  boots  at  the  maison  garnie , and  in  the  streets  they  are 
distinguished  by  the  white  handkerchief,  tied  neatly  and 
coquettishly  upon  the  head.  The  deer  garden  and  the  king’s 
garden,  are  the  favorite  promenades  of  the  population. 


ARTISTES  AND  SCHOLARS. 


63 


Thesh  places  are  crowded  on  Sunday,  for  Sunday  is  as 
much  a day  of  pleasure  among  the  Lutherans  of  Sweden, 
as  it  is  among  the  Romans  of  Austria  and  Italy.  It  is  alto- 
gether a mistake  to  suppose,  that  the  disposition  for  amuse- 
ment is  confined  to  the  Roman  Catholic  population  of  the 
continent.  In  Lutheran  countries  .the  same  fondness  for 
gayety  prevails  and  to  the  same  extent. 

The  opera  house  built  by  Gustavus  the  Third, — where 
many  of  the  pieces,  composed  by  that  accomplished  mon- 
arch were  performe-d,  and  the  scene  of  the  masquerade  in 
which  he  was  assassinated, — was  open  while  we  were  in 
Stockholm,  and  Jenny  Lind  then  known  as  the  nightingale 
of  Sweden,  was  astonishing  the  capital  with  the  extraordi- 
nary quality  and  sweetness  of  her  voice.  Her  Ninetta  in 
La  Gazza  Ladra  was  the  most  exquisite  performance  we 
ever  heard.  It  was  our  good  fortune  to  hear  this  most  en- 
chanting songstress  warble  the  plaintive  airs  of  Sweden. 
All  the  purity  and  tenderness  of  a gentle  nature,  gave  to 
these  a sweetness  and  expression  perfectly  indescribable. 
Jenny  Lind  is  now  the  first  cantatrice  in  the  world.  Tag- 
lione,  also  a Swede,  is  the  first  danseuse.  Will  the  Italians 
consent  to  believe  that  the  barbarians  of  Scandinavia  are 
capable  of  such  achievements  ? Science  can  boast  Ber- 
zelius, and  literature  presents  many  distinguished  names, 
Geyer  and  Fryxell  are  celebrated  as  the  historians  of  their 
country,  and  the  amiable  Bremer,  the  poet  Tegner,  and 
Anacreon  Bellman,  are  writers  of  European  reputation. 
Tegner  declared  that  his  “ Fritheof”  and  other  poems,  which 
have  been  translated  into  eight  different  languages,  were 
better  rendered  by  the  American  poet  Longfellow,  than  by 
any  other  translator. 


64 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Environs  of  Stockholm — Haga — Drotningholm — Gripsholm — Rosenburg — 
Gustavus  Adolphus  the  Fourth — The  Duke  of  Sudermania — Bernadotte. 

The  environs  of  Stockholm  are  very  beautiful,  and  the 
rides  to  the  various  seats  of  royalty  in  the  immediate  vicin-  ' 
ity,  very  interesting.  A mile  and  a half  to  the  north  lies 
Haga,  a chateau  built  by  Gustavus  the  Third  and  his  favor- 
ite place  of  residence.  It  was  among  the  rocks  and  forests 
about  Haga  that  this  prince  meditated  upon  and  formed  the' 
plan  of  the  revolution  of  1772.  This  chateau  is  a small 
building,  but  beautifully  situated ; and  near  by  it  are  the 
foundations  and  lower  walls  of  the  immense  palace,  which 
was  being  erected  when  he  was  assassinated.  The  expense 
attending  its  construction  gave  great  offence  to  the  noble’s, 
and  as  they  were  disposed  to  quarrel  with  their  sovereign, 
they  pretended  to  discover,  in  the  thickness  of  the  walls 
and  the  depths  of  the  vaults,  the  dungeons  and  dangers  of 
their  order.  A royal  manege  is  at  Haga,  and  we  were  per- 
mitted to  look  upon  the  equestrian  exercises  of  the  grand- 
sons of  Bernadotte, — three  stout  youths,  who  received  many 
more  reproofs  from  a riding-master,  than  an  American 
school-boy  would  have  considered  consistent  with  his  dig- 
nity. 

Drotningholm,  another  royal  residence,  is  about  ten  miles 
from  the  capital.  The  road  follows  the  undulations  of  the 


DROTNINGIIOLM. 


65 


hills,  and  passes  by  forests  of  fir,  whose  very  silence  is  most 
impressive.  Once  as  we  drove  along,  the  sound  of  song 
came  from  the  recesses  of  the  quiet  woodland.  It  ap- 
proached tis  gradually,  until  we  heard  each  word  of  the 
chorus,  and  saw  at  last  a band  of  mounted  rangers  issue 
from  behind  the  intervening  rocks.  They  did  not  heed  us, 
but  the  officer  who  led  the  company  and  the  song,  gathered 
new  energy,  and  his  green-dressed  horsemen  joined  with 
new  spirit  in  the  native  strain.  A little  beyond  they  disap- 
peared again  by  a circuitous  path,  and  awoke  the  echoes 
•with  a melody  that  would  have  delighted  the  merry  men  of 
Robin  Hood.  The  troops  of  Sweden  are  probably  the  best 
looking  in  Europe.  The  custom  introduced  into  the  army 
by  Gustavus  Adolphus,  of  praying  and-  singing  hymns,  is 
still  maintained  in  some  branches  of  the  service,  and  it 
is  not  unusual  to  see  the  soldiers,  morning  and  evening, 
engaged  in  their  devotions.  The  army  is  principally  com- 
posed of  men  furnished  from  the  various  districts  into  which 
the  country  is  divided.  The  owners  of  a certain  quantity 
of  land,  called  a hemman,  are  obliged  to  provide  a soldier, 
furnish  him  a farm,  and  pay  him  a stipulated  sum  of  money. 
During  the  absence  of  the  soldier  in  time  of  war,  the  pro- 
- prietors  of  the  hemman  must  attend  to  his  farm  and  family. 
In  the  event  of  his  death,  they  support  his  widow  and  chil- 
dren ; when  he  is  at  home,  he  is  obliged  to  work  for  the 
wages  paid  a common  laborer. 

Drotningholm  is  on  the  beautiful  island  of  Loson,  in  the 
Malar  Lake.  Charles  the  Eleventh  built  the  palace,  and 
Gustavus  the  Third  laid  out  the  grounds  of  this,  the  Versailles 
of  Sweden.  The  palace  is  large,  but  has  no  architectural 
beauty  to  recommend  it.  It  contains  a number  of  rooms 


66 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


that  may  have  originally  been  very  splendid  in  appearance, 
but  which  are  now  going  to  ruin  for  want  of  ordinary  care. 
Moth  and  dust  cover  and  consume  the  rich  hangings  and 
silken  curtains  of  the  royal  bed-chambers ; and  the  pictures 
and  ornaments  of  the  cabinets  and  antirooms  are  corroded 
with  rust  and  moisture.  There  are  some  good  paintings  and 
some  beautiful  mosaics,  which  should  be  removed  from  this 
neglected  palace.  Among  the  pictures,  are  one  or  two  by 
Wertmuller,  an  artist  of  some  celebrity  in  Sweden,  who 
subsequently  went  to  the  United  States,  where  he  left  sev- 
eral fine  productions.  One  of  the  best  of  these  was  the  prop- 
erty of  the  lamented  Inman.  Several  tables  and  vases  of 
lapis  lazuli,  the  presents  of  Russia,  such  as  are  seen  in  almost 
every  palace  in  Europe,  are  in  this  desolate  abode.  The 
portrait  of  Catherine  the  Second,  the  image  of  deceit  and 
ambition,  looks  down  from  the  wall,  and  gloats  with  the  ex- 
pression of  the  fabled  vampire,  upon  the  desolation  of  the 
house  of  Vasa.  When  we  think  how  the  power  of  Sweden 
has  dwindled  before  the  intrigues  and  encroachments  of 
Russia,  it  is  with  surprise  that  we  behold  in  every  royal 
habitation  the  emblems  of  her  treacherous  friendship.  Not 
far  from  this  palace  there  is  a summer-house  in  the  Chinese 
style.  It  is  ornamented  with  the  furniture  and  utensils 
presented  for  this  purpose,  by  the  old  Swedish  East  India 
Company  long  since  broken  up. 

The  grounds  of  Drotningholm,  which  are  naturally  very 
beautiful,  were  adorned  by  Gustavus  the  Third  with  groves 
and  gardens  after  the  old  French  method.  It  was  here  that 
prince  gave  many  of  his  masques  and  entertainments ; .and 
the  elevated  bank,  which  was  the  royal  loge, — the  seats  of 
sod  and  moss, — and  the  shrubbery  and  trees,  planted  and 


GRIPSHOLM. 


67 


trimmed  in  certain  shape,  still  show  where  he  had  his  rustic 
theatre.  The  linden  alleys  and  the  beechen  walks,  that 
were  once  alive  with  the  voice  of  festival  and  the  whispers 
of  royal  love,  are  now  forlorn  and  out  of  fashion.  The 
statues  are  blackened  and  broken  with  the  storms  of  many 
winters  ; and  the  fountains,  choked  up  and  dilapidated,  have 
long  since  ceased  to  play.' 

Gripsholm,  on  the  Malar  Lake,  is  an  old  stronghold  of 
the  kings,  of  Sweden more  like  a prison  than  a palace, 
for  both  of  which  purposes  it  has  been  used.  It  was  here 
that  Eric  the  Fourteenth,  the  son  of  Gustavus  Vasa,  who 
reigned  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  imprisoned 
his  brother,  and  was  by  him  in  turn  imprisoned.  The  little 
chambers  beneath  the  roof  in  which  they  were  confined  and 
those  in  which  they  lived,  and  many  curiosities  connected 
with  the  early  history  of  Christianity  in  Sweden,  are  to  be 
seen  at  Gripsholm. 

Rosenberg  is  a chateau  of  the  modern  kings,  and  was  the 
favorite  summer  residence  of  Bernadotte.  It  is  small,  and 
in  no  respect  remarkable  for  internal  or  external  splendor. 
The  furniture  is  old-fashioned,  and  for  elegance  and  finish 
is  not  to  be  compared  with  that  to  be  seen  in  every  dwell- 
ing of  any  pretension  in  the  United  States.  In  one  of  the 
rooms  there  is.  a small  marble  bust,  the  work  of  an  Italian, 
very  badly  executed,  marked  “ Washingtone,”  and  in  another 
quite  conspicuous,  is  the  American  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence, with  the  fac-simile  signatures  of  the  signers.  The 
grounds  about  the  chateau  are  very  pretty,  running  to  the 
shores  of  the  Malar  Lake,  overhung  with  rocks,  and  cliffs, 
and  grottoes.  Rosenberg  was  the  residence  of  the  Duke  of 
Sudermania,  the  arch  intriguer  and  ambitious  brother  of 


68 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Gustavus  the  Third.  Recent  developments  and  investiga- 
tions have  thrown  some  light  upon  the  mysterious  events 
that  have  agitated  Sweden  for  the  last  fifty  years,  and  have 
led  many  to  suspect,  that  this  crafty  prince  secretly  insti- 
gated Ankerstroern  to  assassinate  the  king  his  brother.  There 
is  no  decided  proof  of  the  fact.  Neither  Ankerstroern  nor 
any  of  the  associate  conspirators  ever  made  any  declarations 
that  implicated  the  Duke  of  Sudermania,  and  the  only  evi- 
dence of  his  guilt  rests  upon  the  singularity  of  his  conduct 
at  the  time,  and  the  subsequent  exhibition  of  his  total  want' 
of  principle,  his  licentiousness,  and  love  of  power.  He 
became  sole  regent  of  the  kingdom  during  the  minority  of 
his  nephew,  and  when  the  latter  became  of  age  and  ascended 
the  throne,  the  duke  retreated  again  to  Rosenberg,  and 
prepared  the  conspiracy  by  which  his  relative  was  finally 
deposed  and  driven  from  his  throne  and  country. 

Many  are  the  tears  yet  shed  in  Sweden  over  the  tale  of 
the  misfortunes  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  the  Fourth.  Exposed 
at  an  early  age  to  the  malicious  designs  of  the  aspiring 
uncle ; surrounded  by  the  same  dissipated  and  depraved 
nobility,  who  had  conspired  against  the  life  of  the  king,  his 
father ; he  grew  up  to  manhood  with  feelings  imbittered 
in  the  melancholy  reflections  of  the  past,  and  the  miserable 
prospects  of  the  future.  He  inherited  most  of  the  virtues 
and  few  of  the  abilities  of  his  race.  With  high  principles 
of  honor,  great  integrity,  and  rare  purity  of  character,  he 
combined  the  most  stubborn  and  unyielding  disposition. 
He  assumed  the  dress  and  imitated  the  bearing  of  his  great 
progenitor,  Charles  the  Twelfth,  and  without  his  capacity  to 
command,  he  possessed  his  inordinate  obstinacy  and  chival- 
ric  pride.  A gallant  soldier,  and  an  indifferent  general ; a 


GUSTAVUS  THE  FOURTH. 


69 


virtuous  prince  and  a bad  politician,  he  was  unequal  to  the 
circumstances  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived.  Allured  by 
Catherine,  and  encouraged  by  his  uncle,  .he  visited  St. 
Petersburg  to  address  the  Duchess  Alexandra,  the  grand- 
daughter of  the  Czarina.  His  reception  was  illustrated 
with  all  the  splendor  of  the  Russian  court.  The  dig- 
nity of  his  carriage,  and  the  excellence  of  his  behavior,  were 
contrasted  with  the  address  of  the  Russian  dukes,*  and 
the  youthful  duchess  was  enchanted  and  confessed  her 
love.  The  marriage  contract  was  agreed  upon  with  the 
especial  understanding,  that  a proviso  was  to  be  inserted  to 
the  effect  that  the  duchess  should  embrace,  at  least  ostensi- 
bly, the  faith  of  her  husband,  the  Lutheran  faith  of  the  king 
and  the  people  of  Sweden.  The  day  of  the  betrothal  was  at 
hand,  and  yet  Gustavus  had  not  seen  the  written  contract. 
Various  excuses  were  given  for  the  delay,  and  not  long 
before  the  time  appointed  for  the  ceremony,  he  asked  again 
and  again  to  see  the  contract.  He  insisted,  received  it 
while  the  empress  and  the  court  awaited  him  in  the  apart- 
ment of  the  throne,  and  discovered  almost  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  that  it  was  positively  stipulated,  not  only  that  the 
Russian  duchess,  wdien  queen  of  Sweden  was  to  maintain 
the  Greek  faith  and  the  Greek  worship,  but  that  he,  when 
king,  should  enter  into  an  alliance  against  the  French. 
The  prince  surprised  at  this,  and  perceiving  how  nearly  he 
had  been  duped,  instantly  resigned  all  pretensions  to  the 
lady ; and  notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  his  uncle, 

* The  Grand  Duke  Constantine  behaved  so  badly  at  one  of  the  imperial 
fetes  given  on  this  occasion,  that  his  grandmother  asked  him  with  anger  “ Do 
you  know  in  whose  presence  you  are  7”  “ Yes,”  said  Constantine,  “ in  that 

of  the  greatest in  St.  Petersburg. 


70 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


and  the  courtiers  of  his  suite,  who  had  been  seduced  with 
Russian  gold,  retired  from  the  presence  and  the  palace  of 
the  irritated  and  disappointed  empress,  and  returned  to  his 
country,  for  which  he  had  sacrificed  his  love  and  hopes  of 
happiness. 

Gustavus  Adolphus  always  maintained  the  most  deter- 
mined hostility  to  Napoleon.  He  would  never  treat  with 
him  or  notice  him  in  any  way,  and  he  resigned  the  noble 
orders,  and  threw  away  the  stars  and  ribbons,  similarly 
conferred  upon  the  Corsican.  He  refused  to  the  last  to  join 
the  continental  confederacy  formed  by  the  latter,  even  al- 
though his  possessions  were  endangered  by  the  refusal ; 
and  he  maintained  his  undeviating  consistency  of  conduct 
in  defiance  of  the  laws  of  good  policy,  the  advice  of  his 
council,  and  the  loss  of  the  province  of  Pomerania.  To 
increase  his  embarrassment,  and  the  general  discontent, 
Finland  was  yielded  without  a struggle,  by  Swedish  traitors 
in  the  pay  of  the  Russian  government ; — an  insurrection 
fomented  by  Russian  gold,  broke  out  among  the  troops  upon 
the  frontiers  of  Norway  ; and  the  unprincipled  nobles,  who 
laughed  in  Stockholm  at  the  disasters  of  their  country, 
joined  with  the  Duke  of  Sudermania  in  a conspiracy  for  his 
deposition.  On  the  morning  of  the  thirteenth  of  March, 
1809,  as  he  descended  the  staircase  of  the  royal  palace,  with 
the  intention  of  departing  with  his  guards  to  suppress  a 
mutiny  of  his  troops,  he  was  met  by  a band  of  desperadoes. 
The  king  saw  among  them  many  that  he  knew,  and  re- 
ceived them  as  his  friends.  When  they  informed  him  of  the 
object  of  their  intrusion,  Gustavus  immediately  drew  his 
sword,  defied  their  united  strength,  and  stood  upon  his  de- 
fence. He  was  surrounded  and  overpowered.  The  Diet 


DUKE  OF  SUDERMANIA. 


71 


was  assembled.  The  crimes  and  treason  of  a vicious  aris- 
tocracy were  laid  to  his  charge, — he  was  declared  incapable 
of  governing, — he  and  his  children  were  excluded  forever 
from  the  throne,  and  after  a short  confinement  at  Gripsholm 
he  was  permitted  to  leave  the  country.  He  refused  to  take 
with  him,  or  to  accept  as  a gift,  the  personal  property  of  his 
family ; — lived  the  remainder  of  his  days  a wanderer,  and 
died  miserably  poor  „and  magnanimously  proud,  in  a little 
village  among  the  mountains  of  Switzerland.  His  son 
however,  received  the  wealth  his  father  refused  to  enjoy, 
and  lives  at  Vienna,  a worthy  member  of  the  Austrian 
court.  The  descendant  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  the  Great, 
is  hand  and  glove  with  the  representative  of  the  Jesuit,  Fer- 
dinand the  Secorfd. 

, “ Tempora  mutantur,  et  nos  mutamur  in  illis.” 

The  Duke  of  Sudermania,  under  the  title  of  Charles  the 
Thirteenth,  assumed  the  government  the  very  day  his 
nephew  was  confined ; pretended  to  regret  the  disastrous 
state  of  public  affairs,  to  hold  out  hopes  of  a new  and  liberal 
form,  and  succeeded  in  prevailing  upon  the  Diet  to  choose 
him  king.  As  he  was  childless,  the  succession  of  the  crown 
was  settled  upon  Prince  August,  of  Augustenberg,  a most 
popular  and  enlightened  prince,  nearly  connected  with  the 
reigning  family  of  Denmark.  It  was  generally  understood 
that  this  prince  had  determined  upon  his  accession,  to  re- 
store the  crown  to  the  exiled  family,  who  still  retained  the 
affection  of  the  mass  of  the  people.  In  all  probability  he 
would  have  done  so  if  he  had  lived.  His  sudden  death  was 
attributed  to  poison ; and  Charles  the  Thirteenth,  who  is 
strongly  suspected  of  being  the  cause  of  this,  ascribed  it  to 
the  Count  Fersan,  whom  he  both  feared  and  hated.  This 


72 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Count  Fersan  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  men  in 
Sweden.  He  was  in  Paris  during  the  excesses  of  the 
French  Revolution ; and  disguised  as  a coachman,  he  con- 
ducted the  carriage  containing  Louis  the  Sixteenth  and 
Maria  Antoinette,  from  the  capital  of  France,  and  left  them 
safely  upon  the  road,  in  the  memorable  flight  that  was  ar- 
rested at  Varennes.  The  rumor,  supposed  to  have  been 
disseminated  by  the  King  of  Sweden  and  his  minions,  to 
the  effect  that  Fersan  had  poisoned  the  Prince  August,  ex- 
cited the  passions  of  the  populace ; and  the  count,  while 
attending  the  funeral  of  the  prince,  was  attacked  and  torn 
in  pieces  by  a mob  in  the  streets  of  Stockholm,  in  the 
presence  of  the  officers  and  troops  of  a regiment  of  the 
guards,  who  were  stationed  near  the  spot  to  preserve  order, 
and  who  refused  either  to  assist  or  to  preserve  him.  Not 
long  after  this  event  another  Diet  was  assembled  to  elect 
another  successor  to  the  throne.  A large  party  called  for 
the  son  of  the  deposed  Gustavus,  but  the  unnatural  king 
refused  to  listen  to  the  proposition.  He  favored  the  Duke 
of  Oldenburg,  the  brother-in-law  of  the  Russian  Emperor ; 
controlled  by  Russian  influence,  he  would  have  sacri- 
ficed his  country,  had  he  supposed  the  people  would  have 
sanctioned  his  choice  of  a prince  connected  with  a family 
and  a nation  they  detest.  Bernadotte,  a marshal  of  France, 
stationed  near  the  scene  of  action,  understanding  the  char- 
acter of  the  king,  and  the  position  of  affairs,  offered  the  state 
a loan  of  three  millions  of  francs  at  four  per  cent. ; the  in- 
terest to  be  applied  to  national  purposes.  It  was  the  highest 
bid ; Charles  the  Thirteenth  chose  the  French  soldier  for 
his  successor,  recommended  him  to  the  Diet,  and  he  was 
elected  Crown  Prince  of  Sweden. 


UPSALA. 


73 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Upsala— Odin— The  University— The  Morasteen— Mine  of  Dannemora. 

Upsala  is  about  seven  Swedish  or  fifty  English  miles 
from  the  capital.  It  is  approached  through  a country  gen- 
erally better  cultivated  than  any  we  had  seen  in  Sweden. 
The  surface  of  this  country  is  undulating,  and  for  the  most 
part  • a bed  of  granite.  The  soil  of  Norway  is  much  more 
productive.  Norway  has  her  mountains  on  the  grandest 
scale,  but  far  and  wide  between  them  reach  her  beautiful 
and  fertile  valleys.  Upsala  is  the  oldest  town  in  Sweden, 
was  the  residence  of  the  ancient  kings,  and  has  long  been 
celebrated  as  the  seat  of  learning  and  religion.  The  site 
of  Gamle  Upsala,  or  Old  Upsala,  is  not  far  from  the  more 
modern  town.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  habitation 
of  Odin,  and  to  have  contained  the  principal  temple  of  his 
idolatry.  Three  mounds  or  tumuli,  resembling  those  fre- 
quently seen  in  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  are  said  to  be  the 
tombs  of  Odin,  Thor,  and  Frey  a,  the  deities  of  the  ancient 
inhabitants  of  Scandinavia.  A ruined  church  near  by  is 
supposed  to  have  formed  a part  of  the  temple  dedicated  to 
their  worship. 

Odin  or  Wodin,  as  he  was  named  in  the  dialect  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  seems,  by  the  uncertain  traditions  of  the 
north,  to  have  been  a Scythian  prince,  who  fled  from  the 
Euxine  to  the  Baltic  shores,  before  the  victorious  arms  of 

4 


74 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  ANI>  PEOPLE. 


the  Roman  conquerors.  Other  accounts  give  him  a differ- 
ent era,  and  some  ingenious  writers  suppose  him  to  be  the 
great  grandfather  of  the  famous  Hengist, — placing  him  as 
late  as  the  year  of  our  Lord  three  hundred  and  twenty-five, 
only  seventy  years  before  the  time  of  Alaric,  and  making 
his  energy  and  conquest  in  the  north  the  cause  of  the  im- 
pulse which  about  that  period,  propelled  the  Gothic  hordes 
upon  the  confines  of  the  Roman  empire.  Although  the  age 
in  which  Odin  may  have  flourished  is  uncertain,  there  is  no 
doubt  as  to  his  abilities  as  a warrior  and  legislator.  The 
Icelandic  chronicles  represent  him  as  the  most  eloquent  and 
persuasive  of  men.  He  introduced  poetry,  and  invented 
the  Runic  characters.  He  was  skilled  in  music  and  in 
magic.  With  his  tender  and  melodious  airs  he  could  sum- 
mon up  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  and  make  the  hills  to  open 
and  expand  with  rapture.  By  his  enchantments  he  directed 
the  tempests,  defeated  his  enemies,  and  discovered  treasures ; 
and  so  distinguished  an  individual  was  readily  honored  as  a 
hero  and  worshipped  as  a god  by  a barbarous  and  supersti- 
tious people.  If  it  is  true,  as  has  been  asserted  by  the  poets 
and  romancers  of  the  north,  that  after  his  settlement  in 
Upland,  as  this  part  of  Sweden  is  called,  he  used  to  describe 
in  bewitching  song  the  glad  home  he  had  forsaken ; that  he 
offered  to  his  warriors  who  fought  and  fell  in  battle,  a return 
to  the  ever-green  fields  of  another  region ; that  the  glowing 
rainbow  was  the  illumined  bridge  which  was  to  direct  their 
path ; — may  there  not  be  plausibility  in  the  supposition  of 
his  having  been  the  originator  and  the  cause  of  the  move- 
ment, in  the  second  and  third  centuries,  of  the  “ blue-eyed 
myriads  of  the  Baltic  coasts”  upon  the  fair  lands  of  South- 
ern Europe  ? 


TEMPLE  OF  ODIN. 


75 


The  decendants  of  Odin  reigned  in  Sweden  for  more  than 
a thousand  years.  Upsala  was  the  seat  of  their  empire  and 
religion.  The  magnificent  temple  which  according  to  the 
Edda,  was  Enriched  with  gold  and  precious  stones,  and 
sanctified  with  the  representations  of  the  deities  of  War,  of 
Thunder,  an#d  of  Generation,  and  purified  with  human  sac- 
rifices, was  destroyed  by  Ingo,  a king  of  Sweden,  in  the 
year  ,1075,  and  soon  after  a Christain  church  rose  upon  its 
ruins.  The-  cathedral  which  now  occupies  the  site  of  this 
church  is  the  largest  in  the  North  of  Europe  and  the  finest 
edifice  in  Sweden.  It  dates  from  the  thirteenth  century,  is 
built  of  brick  in  a mixed  style  of  architecture,  and  was 
somewhat  injured  during  the  reformation,  when  the  Roman 
priesthood  were  driven  from  the  church  and  country. 

The  interior  of  the  cathedral  is  very  imposing.  It  is 
adorned  with  a double  row  of  fluted  columns,  and  is  espe- 
cially interesting  as  the  resting-place  of  Gustavus  Yasa,  the 
father  of  his  country.  Beside  the  tomb  of  this  great  man 
are  those  of  his  wives,  Margaret  and  Catherine,  and  around 
him  lie  many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  Sweden  has 
produced.  Those  of  the  Regent  Sture,  of  the  Chancellor 
Oxenstiern,  of  Linnseus,  of  Sweadenborg  and  others,  are 
contained  in  this  the  Westminster  of  Sweden.  Upsala  is 
also  famous  for  its  University,  one  of  the  oldest  and  the  best 
in  Europe,  and  containing  a very  fine  library,  enriched  with 
a collection  of  manuscripts  of  the  most  curious  and  costly 
kind.  Among  the  latter  is  the  Codex  Argenteus,  a transla- 
tion of  the  Gospels  in  the  Gothic  language  of  the  fourth 
century,  and  a Bible  with  autograph  annotations  by  Martin 
Luther.  Besides  an  old  palace,  there  are  many  pretty  pri- 
vate dwellings  in  Upsala,  and  upon  the  whole,  the  town 


76 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


though  small,  may  be  considered  as  one  of  the  neatest  and 
most  agreeable  in  the  north.  Trade  or  commerce  it  has 
none,  and  is  altogether  supported  by  the  students  who  assem- 
ble here  to  the  number  of  six  or  eight  hundred*. 

Seven  miles  from  Upsala  we  saw  the  Morasteen,  the 
stone  of  Mora,  where  the  kings  were  formerly  crowned, 
and  where  Gustavus  Vasa  assembled  and  addressed  the 
meir  of  Dalecarlia,  preceding  his  great  effort  to  liberate  his 
country.  The  Runic  stones  abound  in  this  vicinity.  The 
oldest  of  them  commemorate  the  names  and  fortunes  of  the 
soldiers  who  served  in  Constantinople  in  the  corps  of  the 
Varangii,  a circumstance  that  would  confirm  the  theory  of 
those  who  place  the  era  of  Odin,  the  inventor  of  the  Runic 
characters,  in  the  third  century. 

Thirty  miles  to  the  north  of  Upsala  is  the  famous  mine 
of  Dannemora.  The  road  to  Esterby,  the  name  of  the  vil- 
lage near  the  mine,  runs  through  a country  very  like  what 
we  have  described, — a monotonous  succession  of  hills  cov- 
ered with  fir  and  pine,  and  intermediate  plains  filled  with 
huge  boulders  of  primary  rock.  The  country  about  Upsala 
is  well  cultivated  and  well  inhabited.  The  highway  trav- 
erses fields,  which  on  either  side  are  planted  with  rye  and 
oats.  The  roads  are  excellent,  but  stopped  with  gates  at 
the  beginning  and  the  end  of  every  farm.  The  fields  are 
not  inclosed,  and  the  only  fences  are  those  which  separate 
the  line  of  one  farm  from  another,  and  thus  run  across  the 
highway.  In  consequence  of  this  arrangement,  a gate  has 
to  be  opened  at  the  entrance  to  every  farm,  and  the  speedy 
progress  of  the  traveller  is  thereby  arrested.  Sometimes  a 
crowd  of  boys,  collected  from  the  different  farms,  run  for 
miles  ahead  to  open  them,  and  then  surround  the  carriage 


A SWEDISH  COTTAGE. 


77 


and  beg  in  a whining  tone  for  a bit  of  money.  As  we  ap- 
proached the  mines,  the  country  became  quite  dreary  in  its 
aspect, — many  of  the  firs  being  blasted,  and  the  openings  or 
clearings  in  the  forest  being  filled  with  stumps,  blackened 
and  disfigured  with  the  fire  that  had  been  employed  to  fell 
them.  Occasionally  we  passed  a farm-house, — a cottage  one 
story  high,  painted  red,  with  a roof  of  birch  bark  covered 
with  growing  turf  The  peasantry  in  this  district  seemed 
very  poor,  and  the  numbers  of  crippled  and  deformed  peo- 
ple unusually  great.  We  entered  one  of  the  cottages  and 
found  the  inmates  busily  employed  in  making  bread.  This 
is  done  only  twice  a year  in  the  poorer  districts  of  Sweden. 
A quantity  of  oatmeal  dour,  mixed  and  flavored  with  ani- 
seed, is  baked  in  small  thin  biscuit-like  pancakes,  called 
knacken  brod.  This  biscuit  is  stored  away  and  before  the 
next  semi-annual  baking,  becomes  as  hard  as  stone,  and 
adapted  only  to  the  fine  strong  teeth  of  the  peasantry. 

In  the  northern  parts  of  Sweden  Norway  and  Finland  in 
periods  of  scarcity,  the  inner  rind  of  the  fir-tree  is  taken  out, 
dried,  pulverized,  and  manufactured  into  a kind  of  meal, 
which  is  mixed  and  kneaded  with  rye  or  oat  flour,  and  baked 
into  bread.  Oatmeal  porridge,  salt  fish,  and  meat  cut  into 
thin  slices  and  dried  in  the  sun,  with  graf  lax , or  smoked 
salmon,  and  rost  lax , broiled  salmon,  constitute  the  principal 
articles  of  food  of  the  people  in  the  interior  of  Sweden. 
This  cottage,  situated  in  a poor  and  barren  district,  con- 
tained all  the  furniture  necessary  for  the  comfort  and  con- 
venience of  the  family,  who  received  us  cheerfully  and 
placed  before  us  the  best  their  humble  abode  could  furnish. 
The  floors  were  covered  with  the  tops  of  the  twigs  of  the 
pine  and  juniper,  and  the  same  neatness  and  cleanliness  we 


78 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


had  noticed  in  Norway,  and  indeed  in  every  part  of  Scan- 
dinavia, was  observed  in  this  isolated  habitation. 

As  we  emerged  from  the  forest  upon  the  village  of  Es- 
terby,  we  were  struck  with  the  quiet  and  serenity  that  pre- 
vailed. The  same  good  order  and  neatness  was  remarked 
in  and  about  a place  where  many  hundred  men  are  con- 
stantly employed.  After  gazing  to  our  satisfaction  down 
through  the  mouth  of  the  mine  into  the  black  caverns  be- 
neath, and  in  which  we  could  occasionally  discover  a man 
at  work,  who  seemed  like  a speck  moving  far  below  us,  it 
was  proposed  to  descend.  A guide  was  procured,  and  en- 
veloped in  old  coats,  and  provided  with  torches  of  pitch- 
pine,  three  of  our  party  stepped  into  a huge  bucket,  to  be 
lowered  into  a gulf  whose  frightfulness  is  greater  in  appear- 
ance than  in  reality.  Two  of  our  companions  refused  to 
venture.  The  Frenchman  was  too  handsomely  dressed  for 
the  occasion,  and  the  Hollander  was  not  disposed  to  disturb 
his  phlegm  by  any  such  unusual  proceeding.  Sweden,  Ger- 
many, and  the  United  States,  were  accordingly  swung  off 
without  their  allies,  and  commenced  the  descent  into  a lower 
region.  After  a minute  or  two  we  were  deprived  of  the 
light  of  day,  and  the  torches  feebly  illuminated  the  obscurity 
of  these  dark  and  dismal  caverns.  About  half  way  down 
it  looked  somewhat  awful,  and  as  we  swung  back  and  forth, 
the  bucket  and  the  rope  seemed  frail  and  poor  supports  for 
so  great  a burden.  In  a few  minutes  more,  however,  we 
safely  landed  within  the  bosom  of  old  Mother  Earth,  and 
with  the  assistance  of  some  of  the  sooty  inhabitants  of  the 
place,  found  a good  foothold  on  their  iron  soil.  They  work 
by  torch-light  in  these  mines,  and  the  noise  of  the  hammers, 
and  the  fires  gleaming  in  the  distance — throwing  a ruddy 


THE  MINE. 


and  lurid  glare  upon  the  dusky  figures  of  the  workmen — 
pictured  well  to  the  imagination  the  workshops  of -Vulcan. 
Masses  of  ice  were  seen,  and  the  dripping  water  fell  like 
rain  from  the  damp  cold  walls,  never  visited  with  sunshine. 
While  the  miners  prepared  the  blasts  for  our  special  edifica- 
tion, we  retired  far  away  among  the  innermost  recesses  of 
the  abyss,  led  on  by  guides,  whose  blackened  arms  and  faces, 
and  uncouth  forms,  were  perfectly  adapted  to  the  demo- 
niacal locality.  When  we  were  securely  stationed  in  a 
dark  corner  of  the  cavern,  the  train  was  fired,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  most  tremendous  explosions.  The  deep-toned 
thunder  of  the  discharge  was  followed  by  repeated  and  roaring 
echoes.  It  shook  every  rock  around  us,  and  the  earth  trem- 
bled as  if  in  fear  that  the  huge  mass  above  and  around  would 
fall  in  and  crush  us.  Echo  after  echo,  and  peal  after  peal, 
rang  through  the  vaults,  dying  gradually  away  in  deep  faint 
murmurs,  as  if  the  deity  of  the  place  was  expiring  with  pain. 

We  ascended  to  the  upper  world  again  in  the  bucket, 
thinking  all  the  time  of  the  “ three  wise  men  of  Gotham 
who  went  to  sea  in  a bow],”  and  gladly  hailed  the  light  and 
genial  warmth  of  the  morning  sun.  The  ore  from  this 
mine  is  raised  to  the  surface  by  machinery  and  yields  upon 
the  average,  one-third  pure  metal.  The  richest  pit  is  more 
than  five  hundred  feet  in  depth,  and  the  superiority  of  the 
ore  is  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  matrix,  a calcareous  earth, 
free  from  sulphur.  The  ore  is  conveyed  to  the  forges  in 
ihe  immediate  vicinity ; smelted  by  furnaces  supplied  with 
charcoal,  and  beaten  into  bars  by  immense  hammers  moved 
by  water.  This  mine  is  said  to  produce  eighteen  thousand 
tons  of  iron  annually.  It  is  considered  the  best  iron  in  the 
eastern  world,  being  preferred  in  England  to  all  other  kinds 
for  making  steel. 


80 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Papfer  Money  Gulf  of  Bothnia — Abo — Sweaborg — Helsingfors — Russian 

Marine. 

Having  exchanged  one  large  twine-bound  bundle  of 
dirty  paper,  representing  a very  small  amount  of  Swedish 
money  for  another  parcel  of  Finnish  notes,  equally  as  de- 
faced, we  had  made  our  final  arrangements,  and  were  pre- 
pared to  leave  Sweden.  Speaking  of  money,  it  may  be 
proper  to  mention  here  the  fact  of  the  entire  ignorance  of 
the  barbarians  of  Scandinavia  of  the  beauties  of  a hard 
currency.  Silver  and  gold  coin  are  seldom  seen  in  the 
interior  of  Sweden,  Norway  or  Finland,  and  between  these 
metals  and  the  paper,  the  country  people  prefer  the  latter, 
as  being  more  convenient  and  equally  as  good  for  the  pur- 
poses of  commerce. 

After  receiving  our  passports,  properly  prepared,  we  took 
passage  and  departed  in  the  steamer  Finland,  an  excellent 
boat  of  Swedish  build,  furnished  with  English  engines.  As 
we  left  the  “harbor  and  ran  out  into  the  Baltic,  we  turned 
once  more  to  look  upon  the  capital  of  Sweden.  We  gazed 
until  the  windings  of  the  lake-like  sea  among  the  pictu 
resque  headlands  and  romantic  islands,  concealed  the  royal 
palace  and  cathedral  towers  of  Stockholm.  Then  we  looked 
upon  the  beautiful  scenes  around  us.  The  shore  occu- 
pied with  villas,  and  the  water  dotted  with  little  islands, 


SEA  OF  ALAND. 


81 


presented  the  same  fascinating  and  ever  varying  picture 
down  to  the  very  entrance  of  the  fiord  or  bay,  where  stands 
the  fortress  of  Waxholra,  the  great  defence  of  Sweden  on 
her  eastern  coast.  Thence  running  northwards  and  passing 
archipelago  after  archipelago  of  islands,  which  lay  so  close 
upon  each  other  as  to  form  a succession  of  little  lakes,  we 
entered  the  Sea  of  Aland,  and  soon  after  were  in  the  do- 
miniohs.and  under"  the  protection  of  his  imperial  majesty, 
Nicholas  of  Russia.  One  of  the  Aland  islands,  not  thirty 
miles  from  the  coast  of  Sweden,  has  been  strongly  fortified 
by  Russia,  contains  a large  garrison,  and  has  a harbor  capa- 
ble of  receiving  any  number  of  vessels.  Leaving  these 
behind  us,  we  entered  the  Gulf  of  Bothnia,  which  all  the 
way  to  the  shores  of  Finland  is  studded  with  islands,  look- 
ing as  if  they  had  been  the  stepping-stones  of  a giant 
through  the  sea.  Some  of  them  are  round  and  bare  masses 
of  rock ; others  are  covered  with  wood  and  verdure,  and 
many  are  inhabited  by  fishermen.  They  rise  upon  the 
water  like  the  knolls  and  hills  of  granite  upon  the  surface 
of  Sweden,  and  are  precisely  like  them  in  form  and  char- 
acter. They  encircle  and  inclose  parts  of  the  sea  in  little 
tranquil  lakes,  and  as  the  boat  passes  from  one  of  these  into 
another,  some  new  and  striking  feature  delights  the  eye. 
The  voj^ager  is  undisturbed  by  the  winds  and  waves  of  the 
open  sea,  for  the  smooth  bosom  of  these  silent  waters  is 
seldom  ruffled,  except  it  be  with  the  splash  of  the  leaping 
salmon  or  the  dive  of  the  wild  duck.  From  the  coast  we 
turned  into  a narrow  but  deep  stream  bordered  with  rich 
pastures,  and  soon  after  Abo  or  Obo,  the  ancient  capital  of 
Finland  was  before  us.  As  soon  as  we  touched  the  shore, 
a number  of  the  Russian  police  came  on  board,  demanded 

4* 


82 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  passports,  and  having  received  them,  disappeared.  The 
passengers  were  then  informed  that  they  were  at  liberty  to 
visit  the  city,  as  the  boat  would  not  proceed  on  her  voyage 
until  the  following  morning.  We  parted  here  with  a com- 
pany of  Swedish  players,  among  whom  was  a distinguished 
performer  of  the  part  of  Hamlet.  They  had  been  our  fel- 
low passengers  from  Stockholm.  They  were  certainly  a 
very  amiable  set  of  people,  and  with  all  the  politeness  of  the 
Swedes,  they  bowed  and  courtesied,  and  said  farewell.  In 
Abo  we  repaired  to  the  inn,  which  was  very  much  like 
those  of  Sweden ; the  floors  being  covered  with  the  twigs 
of  pine  and  juniper,  and  the  bill  of  fare  enumerating  the 
graf  lax,  rost  lax,  and  the  other  dainties  of  the  cuisine  of 
that  country. 

Abo  is  situated  on  the  river  Aura,  at  the  point  where  the 
Gulfs  of  Finland  and  Bothnia  unite.  Nothing  whatever 
remains  to  mark  the  antiquity  or  splendor  of  the  capital. 
An  old  and  ruined  castle  upon  an  adjoining  hill,  and  a 
deserted  observatory,  are  the  significant  monuments  of  her 
former  importance ; but  this  is  all,  and  the  silence  that  now 
prevails  in  Abo  admonishes  the  stranger  with  the  common 
story  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  states.  The  streets  are  very 
wide,  and  the  buildings  generally  of  logs,  are  separated  from 
each  other  with  gardens  and  inclosures,  to  prevent  the 
spread  of  fire.  A great  conflagration  destroyed  a few  years 
since  all  the  fine  buildings  in  Abo,  and  also  consumed  the 
University  founded  by  Gustavus  Adolphus,  in  1628.  The 
Emperor  of  Russia,  taking  advantage  of  the  circumstances, 
immediately  ordered  the  professors,  students,  and  others  con- 
nected with  the  University,  to  repair  to  Helsingfors,  a town 
he  had  built  and  filled  with  Russians,  and  which  he  ordained 


FINLAND. 


83 


to  be  the  future  capital,  and  the  seat  of  the  University  of 
Finland.  This  was  a tremendous  blow  to  the  Finns  of  the 
west.  Resistance  was  in  vain,  and  they  quietly  submitted 
to  the  decree  that  placed  the  education  of  their  youth 
beneath  the  influence  of  a people  whose  customs  and  re- 
ligion they  abhor.  The  whole  of  Finland  was  formerly  a 
province  of  Sweden.  By  the  treaty  of  Abo,  in  1743,  Russia 
acquired  a large  portion  of  the  province  upon  the  eastern 
frontier;  and  in  1809,  owing  to  the  outrageous  profligacy 
and  corruption  of  the  Swedish  traitors  in  command  of  the 
forces  intended  for  the  defence  and  preservation  of  Swedish 
Finland,  the  whole  province  passed  to  Russia.  In  the  latter 
year,  the  Emperor  Alexander  declared  war  against  Sweden 
and  invaded  Finland,  because  the  former  power  adhered 
strictly  to  those  principles  which  in  common  with  Russia, 
she  had  pledged  her  sacred  honor  to  support ; — principles 
which  had  in  contemplation  the  integrity  and  independence 
of  the  sovereign  states  of  Europe  from  the  encroachments 
of  Napoleon. 

Alexander,  humbled  at  Friediand  and  cajoled  at  Tilsit, 
not  only  forsook  his  ally,  but  with  an  effrontery  that  is 
scarcely  credible,  disavowed  in  the  cabinet  the  very  princi- 
ples for  which  he  had  contended  in  the  field,  agreed  to  share 
the  conquest  of  Europe  with  the  French,  marched  his  army 
into  Finland,  bought  with  gold  the  possession  of  its  fortresses, 
and  before  the  confiding  and  chivalrous  Gustavus  could 
credit  the  fact  and  recover  his  surprise  at  such  base  and 
dishonorable  conduct,  he  had  lost  the  finest  province  of  his 
realm.  The  Finns  were  much  attached  to  the  kings  of 
Sweden,  and  regret  more  and  more  every  day  their  separa- 
tion from  a country,  whence  they  received  their  religion 


%4  THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

and  their  laws,  and  from  a people  with  whom  they  marched 
to  victory  under  the  banners  of  the  great  Gustavus.  By 
the  treaty  that  incorporated  Finland  with  the  Russian  Em- 
pire, it  was  stipulated  that  the  former  province  should  retain 
its  ancient  privileges,  and  be  permitted  to  trade  as  formerly 
with  Sweden,  the  principal  market  for  her  products,  Stock- 
holm being  altogether  supplied  with  provisions  brought  from 
Finland.  With  these  privileges,  Finland  also  retained  the 
Lutheran  faith  as  the  established  religion ; the  Finns  ac- 
cepted the  rule  of  Russia  without  much  reluctance,  and 
under  the  impression  that  their  rights  were  secured  by  a 
treaty  which  acknowledged  inviolate  what  they  called  their 
constitution.  The  seat  of  government  was  transferred  to 
Helsingfors,  a town  filled  with  foreign  troops  and  a foreign 
police ; the  youth  of  the  sea-board,  the  best  seamen  in  the 
north,  were  obliged  to  man  the  Russian  navy ; the  finest 
native  regiments  were  forced  to  bear  the  brunt  of  battle, 
and  were  cut  to  pieces  under  the  walls  of  Warsaw,  during 
the  late  Polish  revolution.  The  people  of  Finland  discov- 
ered, when  it  was  too  late,  that  the  meeting  of  their  Diet 
was  a useless  form; — that  their  boasted  constitution  and 
peculiar  laws  could  not  resist  the  constant  innovations  and 
the  spirit  of  aggrandizement  of  the  Russian  Emperor,  who 
seems  determined  to  blend  his  varied  subjects  into  one, 
having  the  same  laws,  customs,  and  religion. 

The  following  morning  we  received  our  passports,  and 
the  steamer  leaving  Abo  and  the  narrow  Aura,  resumed  her 
voyage  along  the  rock-bound  coast,  and  the  island  groups, 
until  we  came  to  the  great  fortress  of  Sweaborg,  which  com- 
mands the  entrance  to  the  bay  of  Helsingfors.  This  immense 
fortress  which  has  been  called  the  Gibraltar  of  the  north,  and 


HELSINGFORS. 


85 


the  bulwark  of  Finland,  was  constructed  by  the  Swedes, 
and  was  most  basely  surrendered  to  the  Russians  by  the 
traitor  in  command  during  the  last  war.  It  stands  impreg- 
nable upon  three  rocks  of  granite  that  rise  from  the  depths 
of  the  sea.  The  Russians  have  improved  its  natural 
strength,  and  the  works,  blasted  from  the  solid  rock,  are 
said  to  mount  eight  hundred  pieces  of  cannon,  and  to  con- 
tain fifteen  thousand  men. 

As  we  ascended  ' the  beautiful  bay  of  Helsingfors,  filled 
wTith ‘ships  of  the  line  and  frigates,  we  saw  the  city  upon  the 
hills.  This,  the  modern  capital,  contains  one  of  the  largest 
naval  arsenals  in  the  world,  and  is  the  principal  recruiting 
station  of  the  imperial  fleets.  So  important  is  Finland  to 
the  naval  marine  of  Russia,  both  as  it  regards  men  and 
materials,  the  sailors  and  timber  she  affords,  that  the  whole 
province  is  under  the  immediate  control  of  Prince  Men- 
chikoff,  minister  of  the  marine.  The  town  of  Helsing- 
fors is  not  worthy  particular  mention.  It  is  regularly 
laid  out,  and  the  most  youthful  looking  town  we  saw  in 
Europe.  The  Finns  in  this  vicinity,  like  those  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Wibourg,  who  passed  under  the  Russian  yoke  one 
hundred  years  ago,  are  fast  losing  their  Lutheran  faith  and 
character,  and  adopting  the  religion  and  the  manners  of  the 
Russians.  So  much  is  this  the  case,  that  in  looks  they 
cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  latter,  as  they  wear  the 
sheepskin  and  the  beard,  and  are  about  as  intelligent  as  the 
Russians  generally  are.  It  is  an  extraordinary  instance  of 
the  degradation  of  a people.  In  a century,  the  Finns  of 
the  east  have  passed  from  a state  of  comparative  civiliza- 
tion to  a state  of  barbarism,  and  in  another  century  what 
will  have  become  of  those  of  the  west,  who  so  lately  talked 
about  their  constitution  ? 


86 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Gulf  of  Finland — Revel — Trumbull’s  Bunker  Hill — Catherine’s  Thai — 
Esthonian  Peasantry — The  Baltic — Passports — Contrast. 

From  Helsingfors  we  ran  across  the  Gulf  of  Finland  to 
Revel,  the  capital  of  Esthonia,  one  of  the  Baltic  provinces 
of  Russia.  A delay  of  six  hours  gave  us  ample  time  to  ex- 
amine this  quaint  old  town,  formerly  a member  of  the  Han- 
seatic league.  Many  vessels  of  war  were  in  the  harbor, 
but  not  a merchantman  was  to  be  seen.  Revel  has  long 
since  ceased  to  be  a town  of  any  importance.  The  old 
walls  and  conical  towers,  the  irregular  and  narrow  streets 
and  high  houses,  recall  the  representations  of  the  old  fortified 
towns  of  Flanders. 

Revel  derives  a certain  consequence  from  being  one  of 
the  great  naval  depots  of  Russia.  During  the  summer  it  is 
the  resort  and  favorite  bathing-place  of  the  German  popu- 
lation of  St.  Petersburg.  The  inhabitants  are  many  of 
them,  Germans  by  descent ; but  the  greater  number  are 
composed  of  Russians,  and  the  aborigines  of  the  province 
of  Esthonia.  They  appear  wretchedly  poor  and  miserable. 
We  were  pursued  by  beggars  both  lame  and  blind,  even 
into  the  halls  and  parlors  of  the  old  burghers.  The  nobles 
of  Esthonia  have  removed  to  St.  Petersburg  and  elsewhere. 
The  inhabitants  of  any  claim  to  rank  or  wealth,  are  careful 
to  conceal  their  pretensions  from  the  eve  of  avarice  and 


TRUMBULL’S  BUNKER  HILL. 


87 


power.  In  one  of  the  best  abodes  in  the  city,  we  were  de- 
lighted to  see  a fine  engraving  of  Trumbull’s  famous  picture 
of  the  Battle  of  Bunker  Hill,  and  we  awaited  with  no  little 
pleasure  for  the  entrance  of  the  proprietor,  with  the  expec- 
tation of  seeing  a person,  who  was  an  admirer  either  of 
American  art,  or  American  history.  Presently  a stout  and 
stupid-looking  old  man,  wrapped  in  a forlorn  and  faded  old 
morning-gown  and  wearing  a white  cap,  entered  the  room, 
and  after  some  preliminary  conversation,  we  pointed  exult- 
inglyto  the  picture  of  the  Death  of  Warren.  To  our  bitter 
disappointment  he  knew  nothing  whatever  of  the  merits  or 
the  story  of  the  representation,  and  was  quite  ignorant  of 
the  existence  of  both  the  artist  and  the  hero.  He  had 
bought  it  at  a bargain  during  the  sale  of  the  effects  of  a 
deceased  nobleman  of  Esthonia.  How  many  conjectures 
were  excited  respecting  him  ! how  many  guesses  as  to  the 
motives  and  the  character,  the  fate  and  fortune  of  a man, 
who  possessed  in  this  despotic  land,  the  pictured  story  of 
our  first  great  fight  for  liberty.  v 

There  are  several  old  churches  in  Revel.  That  of  St. 
Oli  contains  the  tombs  of  some  of  the  principal  nobles  of 
the  country ; — -among  them  those  of  the  Benkendorfs,  the 
faithful  servitors  of  Russia.  The  environs  are  adorned  with 
the  villas  of  the  gentlemen  who  resort  there  to  pass  the 
summer.  Catherine’s  Thai  is  the  name  of  a palace  and  park 
belonging  to  the  Emperor,  and  near  it  stands  a very  modest 
edifice,  that  was  the  residence  of  Peter  the  Great,  who  is 
supposed  to  have  entertained  the  idea  of  building  here  his 
capital.  The  land  about  Revel  is  very  poor,  and  this  is  said 
to  be  the  case  with  most  of  the  country  of  Esthonia.  The 
peasantry  are  most  miserable  looking  objects — the  men 


88  '"THE  CZAR,  Hl3  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

wearing  sheepskins,  and  their  long  uncombed  locks  fall- 
ing over  the  back  ; the  women  were  dressed  in  the  short 
gown  and  petticoat,  the  common  female  costume  in  most 
of  all  the  old  agricultural  districts  of  Europe.  The  Es- 
tonians in  language,  looks,  and  manners,  resemble  the  old 
Finns  or  Tschudes  as  they  are  called  in  the  Russian  annals. 
This  singular  race  are  supposed  to  have  occupied  at  one 
time  the  whole  country,  from  the  shores  of  the  Baltic  to  the 
confines  of  Asia,  and  from  the  regions  of  Lapland  to  the 
Caspian  Sea.  They  have  preserved  no  legends  of  their 
own,  and  for  their  history  we  must  search  the  chronicles  of 
their  conquerors,  the  Norwegians,  Swedes,  and  Russians. 

Estonia,  Courland,  and  Livonia,  the  Baltic  provinces  of 
Russia,  were  conquered  by  the  Danes  in  1210.  The  in- 
habitants embraced  Christianity  about  the  same  time.  One 
hundred  years  after  this  event,  these  provinces  passed 
under  the  dominion  of  the  Dukes  of  Pomerania,  and  by 
them  were  sold  to  the  Teutonic  knights.  The  latter  then 
became  the  lords  of  the  country,  and  the  natives  became 
their  vassals.  They  were  subsequently  conquered  by  the 
Swedes,  and  under  the  auspices  of  Gustavus  Adolphus 
the  Great,  who  founded  the  University  of  Dorpat,  the  peo- 
ple embraced  the  Lutheran  faith.  The  Poles,  and  next 
the  Russians,  succeeded  to  the  possession,  and  to  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  latter ; the  German  nobles  and  the  vassal 
Finns  have  many  years  been  subjected.  The  efforts  of  the 
imperial  policy  to  induce  the  population  of  the  Baltic  prov- 
inces to  adopt  the  language  and  religion  of  Russia,  have 
been  pursued  with  a diligence  and  earnestness  likely  to  be 
rewarded  with  success.  Under  the  specious  pretence  of 
caring  for  the  welfare  and  comfort  of  the  peasantry,  the 


RUSSIAN  INFLUENCE. 


89 


government  has  endeavored  to  mitigate  the  excesses  of  the 
nobles,  and  promised  to  afford  all  the  relief  consistent  with 
its  paternal  character.  By  proceedings  such  as  these,  the 
peasantry  have  learned  to  regard  the  Russians  as  their  pro- 
tectors, and  the  German  seigneurs  as  their  oppressors,  and 
under  this  impression,  they  were  willing  to  act  at  the  bid- 
ding of  the  Imperial  government.  The  nobles  and  the  peo- 
ple being  thus  severed  in  their  feelings,  were  both  completely 
at  the  mercy  of  the  despot. 

The  Lutheran  German  professors  of  the  University  of 
Dorpat,  the  school  of  the  noble  youth  of  Livonia,  Courland, 
and*  Esthonia,  were  recently  replaced  by  Russian  professors 
of  the  Greek  faith,  and  every  inducement  presented  to  the 
nobles  to  learn  the  language  and  embrace  the  creed  of  Rus- 
sia. On  the  other  hand,  all  kinds  of  expedients  have  been 
adopted  to  operate  upon  the  prejudices  of  the  people.  Some 
have  been  gained  by  threats,  others  by  various  temptations, 
and  during  a late  period  of  famine,  when  the  Russian  monks 
offered  bread  and  consolation  to  the  starving  multitude,  num- 
bers were  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the  Imperial  Church. 
This  is  the  process  by  which  Finland  and  the  Baltic  prov- 
inces are  to  be  firmly  bound  to  the  Russian  Empire.  The 
corruption  of  the  nobles,  the  division  of  the  people  into 
factions,  and  the  dissemination  of  discord  in  the  councils  of 
the  countries  upon  her  frontiers,  prepare  the  way  for  con- 
quest and  final  subjugation. 

Leaving  Revel,  we  were  soon  out  again  upon  the  Gulf  of 
Finland,  and  running  due  east  for  St.  Petersburg.  Toward 
night-fall  we  passed  an  immense  fleet  of  Russian  vessels  and 
ships  of  the  line,  bearing  away,  with  all  sail  set,  for  the 
Baltic.  This  was  the  summer  fleet — the  fair-weather  squad- 


90 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ron,  manoeuvring  during  the  months  of  July  and  August, 
between  Cronstadt  and  the  island  of  Bornholm,  and  which, 
being  seen  by  every  tourist  passing  at  this  season,  conveys 
an  impression  of  the  great  naval  power  and  preparation  of 
Russia.  Our  company  which  was  numerous,  and  composed 
of  several  Russian  families  of  distinction,  lost  much  of  its 
usual  cheerfulness  as  we  proceeded  onward.  Even  the 
noisy  squire  of  his  highness  the  Duke  of  Leuchtenburg, 
was  silent,  and  his  young  and  merry  bride,  just  from  the 
Fatherland,  who  had  exhibited  her  knowledge  of  the  Eng- 
lish idioms  by  calling  her  lover  <£  von  leetle  rog,”  lost  her 
good  humor,  and  grew  thoughtful.  All  were  quiet,  and  a 
few  seemed  sad.  Not  a smile  was  to  be  seen,  and  the  con- 
versation which  had  been  loud  and  general,  diminished  to  a 
whisper  or  altogether  ceased.  A few  were  at  the  whist  ta- 
ble, but  the  greater  number  walked  pensively  upon  the  deck, 
or  leaned  upon  the  tafrail  and  looked  back  across  the  waters. 
They  were  thinking,  not  of  home,  but  perhaps  of  the  sunny 
lands  and  the  joyous  people  they  had  left  behind  them,  or 
they  were  sighing  over  the  memory  of  the  happy  hours 
passed  in  France  and  Italy,  or  it  may  be,  they  feared  the 
cold  and  calamity  that  awaited  them  in  Russia.  All  retired 
at  an  early  hour,  and  at  an  early  hour  the  following  day  we 
were  up  and  busily  preparing  for  the  events  attending  the 
termination  of  the  voyage. 

By  ten  o’clock  we  were  in  sight  of  the  low  coast  of  Ingria, 
and  the  fortifications  and  shipping  of  Cronstadt.  As  we 
approached  the  islands  at  the  mouth  of  the  Neva,  upon 
which  the  latter  town  is  built,  we  saw  the  tremendous  line 
of  batteries  guarding  the  approach  and  entrance  to  the  har- 
bor. Within  gun-shot  of  these  we  came  to  an  anchor,  and 


CRONSTADT. 


91 


were  soon  surrounded  by  boats  filled  with  the  most  extraor- 
dinary specimens  of  humanity  to  be  found  in  any  part  of  the 
creation.  The  crews  were  a bearded,  sallow,  sunken-eyed, 
thin-visaged  set  of  diseased  and  half-famished  barbarians. 
They  were  dressed  in  loose  dark  gray  coats,  a prison-like 
uniform,  and  their  whole  appearance  and  demeanor  such 
as  to  create  a most  fearful  first  impression  of  the  country. 
Each  boat  contained  one  or  two  officers  and  soldiers,  who 
immediately  came  on  board  and  completely  garrisoned  the 
vessel* . Sentinels  and  guards  were  stationed  on  every  part 
of  the  deck,  and  the  officers  assembled  in  the  cabin  to  ex-, 
amine  the  passports  and  persons  of  the  passengers.  Each 
one  was  called  before  this  tribunal  of  ignorant,  rude,  and 
conceited  men,  to  tell  his  name  and  state  his  business  within 
the  bounds  of  the  Russian  Empire.  If  his  replies  are  satis- 
factory, the  traveller  receives  his  passport,  if  the  contrary  is 
the  case,  he  is  taken  on  shore  and  placed  in  custody. 

Not  very  long  since  a beautiful  Boston  girl  arrived  here 
in  a ship  direct  from  the  United  States,  to  visit  her  friends 
connected  with  one  of  the^first  commercial  houses  in  St. 
Petersburg.  She  was  without  a passport ; was  taken  on 
shore,  detained  by  the  police,  and  guarded  by  soldiers. 
Although  she  was  at  liberty  to  march  about  Cronstadt,  she 
was  always  attended  by  an  escort  of  Russian  infantry. 
Although  entirely  alone  she  was  not  at  all  alarmed ; and 
while  her  relatives  in  St.  Petersburg  were  in  a state  of 
extreme  agitation,  this  New  England  maiden  was  playing 
the  heroine,  and  attended  by  her  guards,  visited  the  gov- 
ernor and  all  the  notables  of  Cronstadt.  It  was  only  after 
his  excellency  the  American  Minister  had  addressed  a note 
to  the  chief  of  police,  that  her  ladyship  was  relieved  from 


92 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


her  warlke  retinue,  and  permitted  to  proceed  to  the  capital. 
Numerous  instances  might  be  mentioned  of  the  delay  and 
difficulty  of  those  who  arrive  at  the  seaports  and  frontier 
towns  of  Russia  without  the  proper  passports.  In  some 
cases  the  traveller  is  obliged  to  leave  the  country,  and  re- 
trace his  steps.  About  the  period  of  our  visit,  an  American 
arrived  at  Cronstadt,  in  a merchantman  from  the  United 
States.  He  had  with  him  a number  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments, consisting  principally  of  an  assortment  of  newly 
invented  ploughs,  harrows,  cradles,  scythes,  pitch-forks,  and 
other  notions  of  an  improved  construction,  such  as  were 
never  seen  before  within  the  limits  of  the  Russian  Empire. 
He  was  without  a passport,  and  the  peculiarity  of  His  man- 
ners, as  well  as  the  singularity  of  his  wares,  the  latter  of 
which  were  regarded  as  so  many  infernal  machines,  made 
him  an  object  of  mystery  and  suspicion  to  the  police. 
He  was  detained  for  some  time  at  Cronstadt,  explained, 
with  great  difficulty,  to  the  doubting  officials  of  the  sterile 
shore,  the  advantages  of  a side- hill  plough  over  all  other 
ploughs,  and  the  peculiar  uses  of  rakes  and  harrows.  He 
was  finally  looked  upon  as  a harmless  person,  released  from 
durance,  and  found  his  way  to  the  imperial  city  without 
further  trouble. 


THE  NEVA. 


93 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Neva — St.  Petersburg — Custom  House — Police — Hotels — Bureau  des 
Etrangers. 

,It  most  fortunately  happened  tnat  the  passports  of  our 
company  were  all  in  rule,  and  as  the  tide  was  in,  and  the 
water  deep  enough  to  enable  our  steamer  to  proceed,  we 
were  relieved  from  the  annoyances  attending  an  examina- 
tion of  the  luggage,  or  a change  of  vessels.  After  every 
thing  had  been  sealed  up,  and  after  a very  unnecessary  and 
provoking  delay  of  six  hours,  we  proceeded  onward,  in 
charge  of  a numerous  detachment  of  officers  and  soldiers. 

The  eastern  extremity  of  the  Gulf  of  Finland  forms  the 
bay  of  Cronstadt,  which  is  the  embouchure  of  the  Neva. 
It  is  very  shallow,  and  can  only  be  approached  by  a wind- 
ing and  dangerous  passage,  and  no  one  is  permitted,  on 
any  account,  to  take  the  soundings.  Vessels  drawing  over 
eight  feet  water  have  to  discharge  at  Cronstadt,  and  send 
their  cargoes  up  in  lighters.  It  would  seem  an  impossibility 
for  a hostile  fleet  to  approach  the  Russian  capital.  Besides 
the  natural  obstructions  that  defend  the  entrance  to  the 
Neva,  there  are  immense  lines  of  granite  fortifications  that 
command  the  passage,  and  the  fate  of  every  vessel  within 
range  of  cannon-shot.  We  passed  these  batteries,  the 
town,  and  the  harbor  filled  with  merchantmen  from  every 
land,  and  huge  three-deckers,  ships  of  the  line,  and  then 


94 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


went  on  through  the  clear  limpid  waters  of  the  Neva,  vary- 
ing from  five  to  eight  hundred  yards  in  width,  lined  with 
flat  unproductive  shores,  and  covered  with  ugly  and  un- 
painted craft. 

The  ever  flowing  and  swift  current  coming  from  Lake 
Ladoga,  impedes  the  progress  of  the  ascending  vessel,  and 
for  the  first  hour  upon  the  Neva  the  anxious  traveller  looks 
in  vain  for  any  decided  indication  of  his  approach  to  the 
great  capital  of  the  north.  Upon  the  right  he  first  discovers 
the  dark  outlines  of  the  forests,  that  half  conceal  and  half 
disclose  the  white  buildings  of  Oranienbaum — the  palace 
of  the  orange  grove — where  Catherine  erected  her  flying 
mountains,  her  summer  pavilions  and  colonnades.  Passing 
these  he  looks  again  toward  the  east,  until  the  golden  dome 
of  the  great  cathedral  is  seen,  trembling  like  a ball  of  fire  in 
the  beams  of  the  morning  sun,  and  he  involuntarily  exclaims, 
“ There  is  St.  Petersburg !”  And  next  arise  before  him 
the  resplendent  spires,  the  shining  cupolas,  and  the  taper- 
ing columns,  then  the  citadel  with  its  dark  walls  and  bas- 
tions, and  now  the  gorgeous  palaces,  which  line  both 
sides  of  the  Neva — confined  with  banks  of  granite,  and 
bearing  upon  its  dark-blue  bosom  pleasure  barges  and  boats 
of  every  color. 

The  steamer  reaches  the  granite  quai,  another  host  of 
policemen  rush  on  board,  take  possession  of  the  luggage, 
bear  it  away,  and  the  traveller  confounded  and  confused 
with  strange  sights  and  sounds,  follows  them  to  the  custom- 
house. He  finds  the  great  hall  filled  with  an  uncouth  crowd 
of  officers  ; — from  among  the  pile  of  trunks,  boxes  and  car- 
pet bags,  he  extricates  his  own  ; and  if  they  have  not  been 
already  opened  by  the  keys,  or  forced  by  the  hands  of  some 


CUSTOM  HOUSE. 


95 


of  the  bearded  gentry,  he  will  himself  unlock  them,  and  a 
tall,  thin,  sallow  individual,  with  a heavy  mustache,  and  in 
a dark-green  surtout,  and  wearing  at  the  breast  some  dirty 
bits  of  ribbon,  and  medals  of  bad  silver,  will  commence  the 
search.  He  will  gently  disarrange  the  articles  of  clothing, 
and  say  something  in  a low  tone  ; if  the  stranger  should 
comprehend,  he  will  give  the  soldier  a piece  of  money,  and 
the  examination  of  one  parcel  is  accomplished.  But  if  he 
is  nepennimiah , thaHs.to  say,  if  he  is  ignorant  of  the  lan- 
guage Ur  does  not  take  the  hint,  the  soldier  proceeds  with 
particular  energy  to  overhaul  the  contents  of  his  trunk. 
He  dives  to  the  very  bottom ; turns  all  out  topsy-turvy, 
looks  at  each  thing  with  much  interest,  will  pocket,  if  he 
has  a chance,  any  little  trifle,  and  hand  over  to  the  superior 
officer  all  new  and  unwyorn  articles  of  dress,  all  sealed  pack- 
ages, letters,  books,  newspapers,  segars,  and  other  matters, 
the  importation  of  which  may  be  illegal.  At  last  he  is  re- 
leased, pays  to  the  officer  in  attendance  a silver  ruble,  which 
is  precisely  equal  to  three  quarters  of  the  Spanish  dollar, 
and  is  at  liberty  to  depart  for  the  hotel. 

The  hotels  of  St.  Petersburg  deserve  a passing  notice. 
They  are  very  numerous  and  very  large,  and  those  in  the 
most  fashionable  parts  of  the  city,  have  most  conspicuous 
sign-boards,  upon  which  are  written  in  Russian,  in  Ger- 
man, and  in  French,  the  names  in  which  they  flourish. 
Like  all  the  large  hotels  both  public  and  private  in  the  city, 
they  are  entered  by  a porte  cochere,  leading  into  a court- 
yard, and  are  in  all  respects  upon  a scale  of  grandeur,  that 
corresponds  with  the  prevailing  idea  of  Russian  magnifi- 
cence. In  external  appearance  they  certainly  are  well 
enough,  but  if  there  is  any  thing  that  maybe  likened  unto  a 


96  THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

whitened  sepulchre,  it  is. a Russian  tavern.  The  staircases 
and  passages  conducting  to  the  rooms,  are  filthy  beyond 
belief,  and  abound  with  the  most  abominable  odors  ; — and 
the  chambers  which  are  furnished  with  a degree  of  luxury 
and  elegance  scarcely  to  be  expected,  are  alive  with  the 
most  disgusting  vermin.  The  sofas  and  settees  of  crimson 
velvet,  and  the  heavy  damask  curtains  of  the  bed  and  win- 
dows conceal  multitudes  of  creeping  things,  and  if  the  floor 
is  covered  with  a carpet,  whole  legions  of  fleas  are  sure  to 
nestle  in  its  warm  recesses.  This  is  the  case  at  the  great 
establishment  of  Coulen,  in  St.  Michael’s  square,  and  also 
at  Demouth’s,  beside  the  Moika  canal. 

It  is  impossible  for  any  traveller  coming  from  the  west, 
not  to  be  convinced  by  painful  experience,  of  the  truth  of 
this  assertion ; and  it  is  often  on  this  account  that  he  who 
lodges  at  one  of  these  fashionable  houses,  is  very  apt  to  find 
his  acquaintances,  who  are  not  Russians,  or  to  the  manor 
born,  but  little  disposed  to  prolong  their  visits  or  sit  with 
any  patience  during  a tete  a tete.  These  nuisances  must 
be  undoubtedly  produced  by  a want  of  cleanliness  in  the 
Russian  domestics  employed  about  the  premises ; and  al- 
though every  effort  has  been  made  to  find  a remedy — al- 
though new  furniture  has  been  bought,  and  new  activity 
employed,  the  result  has  been  the  same,  and  only  a few 
months  after  each  lustration,  bed  and  blanket,  settee  and 
sofa,  are  infested  as  before.  The  traveller  will  find  him- 
self far  more  comfortable,  and  equally  as  respectable,  at 
one  half  the  expense,  in  one  of  the  boarding-houses  near 
or  upon  the  Quai  Anglais.  There  are  several  of  these  kept 
by  Englishwomen,  who  maintain  their  houses  in  cleanliness 
and  neatness,  and  who  are  only  prevented  from  keeping 


PERMIS  DE  SEJOUR. 


97 


regular  hotels,  by  the  large  amount  of  licence  money  exacted 
by  the  police  for  this  privilege. 

Immediately  after  the  traveller  is  lodged  in  one  or  the 
other  of  these  places,  he  is  obliged  to  take  a valet  and  repair 
to  the  Police  Office  in  the  Pantelemonskaia  street,  where  he 
will  be  introduced  to  a class  of  officers,  every  way  superior 
in  appearance  and  behavior,  to  any  he  has  hitherto  met 
with  in  the  country.  The  presiding  magistrate,  who  is  per- 
haps a major-general,  will  ask  him  a few  questions  as  to  the 
nature  of  his  pursuits  at  home  and  his  business  abroad,  and 
after  he  has  ordered  his  name  to  be  recorded  and  a permit 
of  residence  to  be  granted  him,  he  will  graciously  dismiss 
the  stranger  from  his  presence,  and  refer  him  to  the  other 
officers  and  other  forms  of  the  Bureau  des  Etrangers,  all  of 
which  are  attended  with  an  expenditure,  that  varies  with 
the  rank  and  consideration  of  the  applicant.  Foreigners 
are  divided  into  five  classes,  and  the  highest  class,  composed 
of  gentlemen,  are  charged  about  five  dollars,  while  simple 
or  sentimental  travellers,  pay  half  this  amount,  and  trades- 
men, servants,  and  poor  persons  in  a less  proportion.  La- 
dies of  the  highest  rank  are  only  taxed  at  three  dollars,  and 
those  of  the  lowest  order  are  granted  a certificate  of  resi- 
dence upon  the  payment  of  twenty-nine  copecs  argent, 
which  is  about  eighteen  and  three-quarter  cents  of  the  cur- 
rency of  the  United  States.  The  traveller  however,  is 
generally  ignorant  of  these  distinctions,  and  as  the  whole 
matter  is  conducted  by  his  valet  in  an  unknown  tongue,  he 
pays  the  highest  price,  and  receives  a billet  of  residence, 
renewable  at  certain  stated  times.  This  billet  is  good  only 
for  the  capital  and  the  immediate  vicinity,  and  if  he  wishes 
to  proceed  to  the  interior  or  elsewhere,  he  must  go  through 


98 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


otner  forms  and  take  out  other  papers.  The  exactitude 
and  the  particularity  with  which  these  things  are  done,  is 
remarkable.  In  all  probability,  there  never  was  a foreigner 
in  the  last  hundred  years,  who  entered  Russia  in  a time  of 
peace,  whose  name  and  movements  were  not  perfectly  well 
known  to  the  police.  An  American  gentleman  travelling 
for  pleasure,  visited  St.  Petersburg  in  1820,  and  in  1843  went 
there  again  on  business.  The  day  after  his  arrival  for  the 
second  time,  he  went  to  the  Alien  Office,  and  as  usual  was 
questioned  as  to  his  name  and  occupation,  and  upon  giving 
his  reply,  was  surprised  to  hear  the  officer  remind  him  that 
he  had  been  in  Russia  twenty-three  years  before,  as  a 
traveller. 

Such  are  the  events  attending  the  arrival  of  the  stranger 
in  this  country ; those  connected  with  his  departure  may 
as  well  be  mentioned  here.  Every  foreigner,  who  is  not  a 
Russian  subject,  wishing  to  leave  St.  Petersburg,  is  obliged 
to  publish  his  intention  of  so  doing  in  three  consecutive 
numbers  of  the  Gazette  of  the  Academy,  a process  that 
occupies  a week  or  ten  days,  and  the  avowed  object  of 
which  is  to  guard  the  interests  of  creditors.  This  rule  is 
certainly  a good  one,  as  far  as  it  protects  tradesmen  from 
the  frauds  of  those  birds  of  passage  who  fly  from  one  land  to 
another  and  prey  upon  the  confidence  of  shop-keepers.  After 
advertising,  the  person  thus  intending  to  leave  must  address 
a’petition  to  the  Governor  of  the  city,  which  petition,  after 
passing  through  several  departments,  reaches  the  bureau  of 
the  Chief  of  Police,  and  the  required  passport  is  granted  to 
the  petitioner.  If  the  person  applying  for  the  passport  is 
a Russian  subject,  several  weeks,  if  not  months  and  years, 
are  occupied  in  forcing  the  application  through  the  various 


PASSPORTS. 


99 


departments,  and  even  then,  the  necessary  permission  can- 
not be  obtained  without  the  aid  of  large  sums  of  money. 
Four  and  five  hundred  roubles  are  frequently  expended  be- 
fore the  all-important  document  is  received. 

By  a ukase  promulgated  in  1842,  these  difficulties  were 
greatly  increased  ; every  nobleman  going  beyond  the 
bounds  of  the  empire  for  purposes  not  connected  with  the 
pursuits  of  trade,  was  only  allowed  to  depart  for  a certain 
specified  time,  not  exceeding  five  years,  upon  presenting  a 
donation  of  several  hundred  roubles  to  the  treasury  of  the 
foundling  hospital.  The  merchant  is  limited  to  three  years. 
Those  who  wished  to  travel  upon  the  plea  of  health,  were 
bound  to  submit  themselves  to  the  inspection  of  physicians 
and  surgeons  in  the  pay  of  the  government,  who  were  to 
specify  the  nature  of  their  diseases  and  complaints,  and  to 
certify  to  the  necessity  of  travel  for  the  bodily  welfare  of 
the  patient.  Officers  of  the  army,  going  abroad  at  their 
own  request,  were  compelled  to  resign  one-half  their  annual 
pay  to  the  treasury  of  the  regiment  to  which  they  belong. 
Every  Russian  subject  must  instantly  return  at  the  citation 
of  the  police ; for  the  infringement  of  this  rule,  his  prop- 
erty is  confiscated  and  his  person  liable  to  exile.  The  lug- 
gage of  all  persons  leaving  the  empire  must  be  submitted  to 
the  inspection  of  the  officers  of  the  customs. 

These  are  some  of  the  formalities  attending  a departure 
from  the  country.  Every  individual  in  the  empire,  whether 
a noble  or  a serf,  a native  or  a foreigner,  must  have  a pass- 
port, which  is  regularly  registered  at  certain  specified  times. 
Within  every  district  the  name  of  each  inhabitant  is  recorded 
by  the  proper  officer  in  the  books  kept  for  this  purpose,  and 
any  one  who  neglects  to  appear  at  the  appointed  time,  to 


100 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


renew  his  application  for  a new  registry  and  a new  pass,  is 
sure  to  be  subjected  to  a heavy  fine  and  all  the  annoyances 
that  an  ingenious  and  exacting  officer  can  impose.  If  the 
servant  has  omitted  this  duty,  both  servant  and  master  are 
liable,  the  latter  being  considered  an  accomplice  of  the  for- 
mer. There  is  no  escape  from  the  payment  of  these  penal- 
ties, and  instances  are  known  of  fines  being  levied  in  trivial 
cases  that  had  occurred  many  years  before,  and  been  for- 
gotten by  all  except  the  magistrate.  The  fees  exacted  for 
the  giving  and  signing  of  passports  and  other  papers  of  this 
description  are  enormous  in  amount,  and  a source  of  con- 
siderable revenue  to  the  officers  of  the  police. 


ST.  PETERSBURG. 


101 


CHAPTER  XL 

Impressions  of  St.  Petersburg — The  Admiralty — Canals — Bridges — Q,uai  An- 
glais— Statue  of  Peter — Winter  Palace — Summer  Gardens — Islands  of  the 
Neva — Column  of  Alexander — Equipages — Ingria — Foundation  of  St.  Pe- 
r tersburg — Fortifications — Architecture — Effect  of  Climate — Summer  Even- 
ings: * 

With  the  fiermis  de  sejour  in  his  pocket,  the  mind  of 
the  traveller  is  sufficiently  composed  to  receive  other  and 
more  agreeable  impressions  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  he  goes 
forth  to  satisfy  his  curiosity  among  her  stately  edifices  and 
crowded  thoroughfares.  The  dimension,  extent,  and  colors 
of  the  buildings,  the  strange  and  various  costumes,  the  num- 
ber and  style  of  the  equipages  of  this  magnificent  city,  as 
seen  in  the  light  of  a summer  sun,  never  fail  to  delight  the 
stranger,  or  to  call  forth  his  repeated  exclamations  of  amaze- 
ment. 

The  banks  of  the  Neva,  faced  on  either  side  with  quays 
of  solid  granite,  and  adorned  with  a vast  range  of  palaces 
of  almost  every  description  of  architecture ; the  Neva  itself, 
the  most  pellucid  of  European  rivers,  covered  with  fantastic 
little  boats ; the  Admiralty,  with  its  extensive  facades,  monu- 
ments, and  colonnades,  the  Nevskoi,  Prospect  the  Broad- 
way of  the  capital,  filled  with  horsemen  and  footmen  in 
uniforms  and  liveries  of  every  variety  and  description, 
are  in  themselves  sufficient  to  surpass  all  the  expectations 
of  the  tourist.  If  he  looked  no  farther,  and  went  away  with 


102 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


no  other  than  this  passing  view  to  remind  him  ot  the  impe- 
rial city,  he  would  say  that  it  was  the  most  magnificent  of 
European  capitals. 

St.  Petersburg  is  built  upon  a marsh,  and  occupies  not 
only  the  southern  bank  of  the  Neva,  but  also  several  islands 
in  the  channel  of  the  river.  It  is  intersected  by  the  wind- 
ings of  the  stream,  and  subdivided  by  the  various  canals, 
originally  constructed  for  purposes  of  drainage.  The  river 
and  canals  are  banked  up  with  walls  of  solid  masonry  and 
embellished  with  pavements  and  parapets  of  hewn  granite, 
forming  delightful  promenades.  Stairways  lead  to  the  wa- 
ter’s edge,  where  boats  are  always  ready  to  convey  the  pas- 
senger to  any  part  of  the  city,  while  bridges  at  frequent 
intervals  enable  him  to  cross  from  one  quarter  to  another. 
The  main  branch  of  the  Neva  divides  the  city  into  two 
great  sections.  That  on  the  southern  side  is  the  most 
compactly  built,  and  contains  the  principal  portion  of  the 
population. 

Ascending  the  river,  the  first  object  that  appears  upon 
this  southern  bank  is  the  great  naval  dock-yard,  and  ships  of 
war  in  progress  of  construction.  The  ships,  when  finished, 
are  launched  upon  floating  butts,  or  camels,  and  carried 
down  to  Cronstadt  at  enormous  cost.  Next  after  this  appear 
the  beautiful  mansions  of  the  great  bankers  and  merchants, 
extending  along  the  Quai  Anglais  to  the  palace  of  the 
Senate,  where  the  place  of  St.  Isaac  and  the  immense  ca- 
thedral of  the  same  name,  with  its  domes  of  burnished  gold, 
its  walls  of  polished  granite,  and  columns  of  porphyry  and 
jasper,  and  the  incomparable  statue  of  Peter,  by  Falconet, 
— by  far  the  finest  of  exquestrian  statues,  both  as  it  regards 
its  magnitude  and  its  merits  as  a work  of  art — open  upon 


THE  QUAYS. 


103 


the  view  of  the  delighted  stranger.  Beyond  this  are  the 
buildings  of  the  Admiralty,  with  its  beautiful  spire  and  its 
facade , extending  nearly  half  a mile  along  the  river  bank ; 
next  arise  the  lofty  walls  of  the  Winter  Palace,  surmounted 
with  a row  of  statues ; next  the  Hermitage ; next  the  mar- 
ble palace  built  by  Catherine  for  Gregory  OrlofF, — all  upon 
the  Quai  de  la  Cour ; then  the  monument  of  Souwaroff ; 
then  the  Summer  Gardens,  with  the  sumptuous  pallisade 
of  iron  tipped  with  gold,  and  doric  columns  resting  upon 
pedestals  of  granite,  and  supporting  an  interchange  of  urns 
and  vases;  next  the  fine  bridge  over  the  Fontanka  canal; 
then  the  hotels  of  the  Austrian  and  other  embassies,  and  the 
long  line  of  palaces  upon  the  Russian  Quai,  away  toward 
the  Taurida,  built  for  Potemkin,  in  honor  of  his  conquest  of 
the  Crimea. 

Such  are  the  wonders  of  the  southern  shore,  up  to  the 
eastern  suburbs,  abounding  in  arsenals,  churches,  and  mo- 
nasteries too  numerous  to  be  described.  The  islands  in  the 
Neva,  opposite  this  southern  shore,  constitute  a portion  of 
the  city.  That  of  Yassili  OstrofF  is  also  adorned  with  piles 
and  parapets  of  granite,  and  ornamented  with  promenades 
lined  with  stately  structures.  Among  the  latter  are  the 
immense  buildings  of  the  mining  corps,  the  barracks  of  the 
several  corps  of  cadets,  the  beautiful  Academy  of  the  fine 
arts,  with  the  space  in  front  containing  the  sphynxes  brought 
from  Egypt,  the  monument  of  Roumiantzoff,  the  Academy 
of  Sciences,  and  lastly  the  Exchange  and  Custom-house,  upon 
the  Strelka  point,  affording  one  of  the  finest  views  of  the 
imperial  city. 

To  the  east  of  the  Strelka  point  is  the  little  islet  of  the 
fortress  with  its  dark  turrets,  and  the  spire  of  St.  Peter  and 


104 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


St.  Paul,  gilded  with  ducat  gold,  and  rising  in  beautiful  pro- 
portion amidst  the  domes  and  columns  of  the  capital.  Di- 
rectly behind  this  little  island  is  the  larger  one  of  Aptekars- 
koi,  where  the  first  foundations  of  the  city  were  laid.  The 
other  islands,  as  Petrosky,  the  delight  of  Peter ; Krestovsky, 
the  possession  and  summer  residence  of  the  Princess  Belos- 
selsky  Belozersky;  the  Kammenoi  Ostroff,  the  domain  of 
the  Grand  Duke  Michael ; and  Yelaguine,  the  property  of 
the  Empress,  are  united  with  elegant  bridges,  traversed  with 
fine  roads,  laid  out  to  the  water’s  edge  with  parks  and  for- 
ests, and  in  the  summer,  when  they  are  the  resort  of  all  the 
more  refined  society  of  St.  Petersburg,  present  the  most 
delightful  and  enchanting*aspect.  They  are  embellished 
with  villas,  shell  chateaux  and  fantastic  cottages  of  the  no- 
bles, whose  receptions  and  entertainments  are  perpetual.  A 
drive  through  the  islands  during  the  evenings  of  July  is  ex- 
ceedingly agreeable.  At  every  turn  in  the  road  beautiful 
aquatic  perspectives,  and  lawns  containing  Chinese  padogas, 
Grecian  temples,  and  Italian  colonnades,  are  continually 
presented  to  the  eye.  The  charming  residences  of  Nes- 
selrode, Laval,  and  Strogonoff,  of  the  Duke  of  Oedenburg, 
and  the  Emperor  and  others,  are  surrounded  with  parks, 
and  ornamented  with  pavilions  covered  with  vines,  and 
terraces  filled  with  flowers  to  the  water’s  edge.  Amidst 
these  perfumed  bowers  and  the  sounds  of  music,  it  is  easier 
to  think  of  the  banks  of  the  Arno  than  to  believe  that,  only 
thirty  years  ago,  all  was  a complete  swamp.  A theatre  is  in 
operation  during  the  afternoon,  the  ball-rooms  are  crowded 
every  evening,  rockets  are  let  off,  and  the  groves  and  gar- 
dens are  illuminated  every  night  with  colored  lamps  and 
fireworks.  In  fact  the  Summer  Islands,  as  they  are  called, 


THE  ADMIRALTY. 


105 


are  a sort  of  Niblo’s  garden  on  a grand  scale,  the  only  dif- 
ference being  that  the  ague  and  fever  did  not  prevail  at 
Niblo’s,  nor  was  the  loiterer  there  tormented  with  mosquitos. 

In  the  evenings  of  July  and  August  the  summer  gardens 
are  filled  with  crowds  of  commoners,  who  promenade  and 
listen  to  the  bands  of  the  Imperial  Guards.  To  the  west  of 
these  gardens  is  the  Champ  de  Mars , — an  extensive  plain, 
bounded  on  two  sides  by  the  Moika  canal,  and  the  immense 
edifice  known  as  the  barracks  of  the  Pauloffskoi  regiment. 
Crossing  the- Moika,  we  approach  the  palace  and  gardens  of 
the  Grand  Duke  Michael ; and  thence  over  the  bridge  of 
the  Catherina  canal,  we  reach  the  vicinity  of  the  imperial 
stables,  containing  twelve  hundred  carriages,  the  private 
property  of  the  Imperial  Family.  Beyond  this  is  the  great 
irregular  square  of  the  Admiralty,  which,  for  the  extent 
and  dimension  of  the  edifices  surrounding  it,  is  probably 
without  a parallel  in  the  world.  On  one  side  is  the  Isaac’s 
place,  with  the  church  and  the  monument  of  Peter  ; on  an- 
other the  Admiralty  and  the  Winter  Palace,  whose  double 
fa£ades  now  conceal  the  Neva ; on  another  the  extensive 
walls  of  the  Imperial  manege ; £nd  on  the  fourth  the  superb 
hotel  of  the  Etat-Major.  A linden  walk  reaches  all  around 
the  Admiralty  ; and  in  the  midst  of  the  quadrangular  space, 
between  the  Winter  Palace  and  the  Etat-Major,  stands  the 
column  of  Alexander,  a polished  shaft  of  red  Finland  gran- 
ite, reared  by  the  united  effort  of  more  than  one  hundred 
thousand  men,  assisted  with  powerful  machinery.  This  very 
beautiful  monolith  is  surmounted  with  an  angel,  bearing  the 
cross,  and  measures  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  feet  from 
the  base  to  the  cap.  Three  streets  branch  off*  from  the 
Admiralty  square.  The  first  of  these,  and  one  of  the  finest 


106 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


in  the  world,  is  the  Nevsky  perspective,  extending  from 
the  Admiralty  to  the  monastery  of  Alexander  Nevsky,  a 
distance  of  three  miles.  It  has  a broad  walk  of  flag-stone 
on  either  side,  and  the  carriage-way  is  paved  with  blocks 
of  wood,  laid  with  great  care  upon  a floor  of  plank,  and 
forming  a smooth  and  level  surface. 

The  Nevsky  is  bordered  with  large  and  handsome  houses, 
the  basements  of  which  contain  the  shops  of  fashion,  and 
the  upper  stories  are  inhabited  by  the  families  of  officers 
and  foreign  merchants.  It  contains  also  a few  private 
hotels  of  great  elegance  ; — the  AnitchkofF  palace — the  Al- 
exander theatre — the  bronze  statues  of  Kutusoff*  and  Bar- 
clay de  Tolly — the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Kazan,  whose 
semicircular  colonnades  in  front,  something  like  those  built 
by  Bernini  before  St.  Peters,  consist  of  more  than  one  hun- 
dred columns  of  the  Corinthian  order — the  Roman  and 
various  Protestant  churches — the  buildings  of  the  Imperial 
Library — the  Gostinoi  Dvor  or  the  grand  Bazaar,  a great 
Asiatic  arcade,  containing  two  hundred  shops,  filled  with 
every  kind  of  merchandise  ; and  thus  up  to  the  green,  and 
blue,  and  starry  domes,  and  red  cloisters  of  the  monastery 
of  St.  Alexander,  at  the  extreme  end  of  this  superb  avenue. 
The  Nevsky  is  crowded  with  vehicles  of  every  kind,  from 
the  coach-and-four,  with  its  bearded  Jehu,  little  postillion, 
and  gayly  dressed  footmen,  to  the  humble  droskey ; and 
thronged  with  ladies,  servants  in  livery,  officers  and  sol- 
diers in  every  uniform,  Circassians  and  Cossacks  in  appro- 
priate costume,  civilians  in  civil  habits,  Russian  mer- 
chants in  caps  and  long  blue  surtouts,  and  Russian  serfs  in 
sheepskins. 

The  province  of  Ingria,  now  represented  by  the  depart- 


INGRIA. 


107 


ment  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  comprising  the  low  swampy- 
country  between  the  Lake  Ladoga  and  the  Gulf  of  Finland, 
was  at  a very  early  period,  the  scene  of  repeated  conflicts 
between  the  Swedes  and  the  inhabitants  of  Novogorod. 
Both  contended  for  the  possession  of  a country  that  appears 
to  have  been  almost  uninhabited  and  uninhabitable.  The 
only  probable  conclusion  we  can  now  arrive  at,  as  to  the 
advantages  either  party  expected  to  derive  from  the  abso- 
lute sovereignty  of  this  wilderness,  must  be  found  in  the 
real  or  supposed  value  of  the  navigation  of  the  Neva,  for 
purposes  of  commerce.  The  republic  of  Novogorod  was  a 
great  commercial  state  in  the  thirteenth  century ; and  by 
reference  to  any  map,  representing  its  geographical  posi- 
tion, the  importance  of  the  Neva,  as  the  inlet  and  outlet  of 
its  trade,  will  be  perceived.  One  of  the  most  celebrated 
victories  mentioned  in  Russian  history,  is  that  of  Alexan- 
der, Prince  of  Novogorod,  over  the  Swedes  and  Teutonic 
Knights  in  1241  ; — a victory  that  secured  to  the  conqueror 
the  surname  of  Nevsky,  and  to  Novogorod  the  undisputed 
possession  of  this  part  of  the  Baltic  coast  for  two  hundred 
years.  But  when  Novogorod  was  conquered  by  the  Mus- 
covites, and  Ingria  retaken  by  the  Swedes, — both  of  which 
events  happened  about  the  same  time, — the  latter  people 
maintained  their  hold  of  the  disputed  province  with  little 
interruption  until  1700,  when  the  famous  war  between 
Peter  the  Great  of  Russia  and  Charles  the  Twelfth  of  Swe- 
den, renewed  the  contest  for  the  possession  of  Ingria.  Peter 
was  triumphant,  and  he  immediately  determined  to  build  a 
fortress  that  would  secure,  and  a city  that  would  adorn,  his 
new  empire  in  the  west.  He  selected  for  this  purpose  the 
low  islands  of  the  Neva,  at  that  time  surrounded  by  silent 


108 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


forests,  the  lonely  habitation  of  a few  Finnish  hunters.  In 
1703,  upon  the  day  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  he  laid  with  his 
own  hands,  upon  a little  island,  the  first  stone  of  the  foun- 
dations of  the  citadel.  The  multitude  of  people  he  had 
collected  from  every  part  of  the  empire  were  obliged,  for 
the  want  of  the  necessary  implements  of  labor,  to  dig  out 
the  soil  with  their  naked  hands,  and  carry  it  away  in  bags 
made  with  their  clothing.  In  the  midst  of  difficulty  and 
privation,  and  notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  a disease  that 
carried  off  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  of  the  work- 
men, the  fortress  wTas  completed  in  the  short  space  of  five 
months,  and  remains  to  this  day  a monument  of  the  ruth- 
less energy  of  the  Czar.  He  also  fortified  the  point  of  the 
island  that  divides  the  river  into  two  branches,  called  the 
great  and  little  Neva.  This  fortification  was  commanded 
by  Basil  Kortchumine,  and  when  Peter  sent  him  his  orders, 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  saying,  “ Vaciliou  na  ostroff”’ — to 
Basil  in  the  island;  whence  we  have  Vassili  Ostroff — the 
name  of  the  island  at  the  present  time. 

No  sooner  were  the  defences  completed,  than  the  Czar 
commenced  the  building  of  the  city,  which  he  had  already 
called  St.  Petersburg,  in  honor  of  his  patron  saint,  to  whom 
it  was  consecrated.  His  own  house,  a small  wooden  build- 
ing, containing  two  chambers  and  a kitchen, — one  or  two 
houses  of  the  same  size,  and  the  miserable  hovels  of  many 
thousand  laborers,  constituted  the  new  capital  at  the  end  of 
1703.  In  1714  appeared  the  ukases  in  which  are  manifest 
the  exertions  and  intentions  of  the  Czar.  By  one  of  these 
ukases,  three  hundred  and  fifty  noble  families  were  ordered 
to  establish  themselves  in  the  new  capital,  and  to  build 
houses  in  the  places  indicated  by  the  sovereign.  By  an- 


BUILDING. 


109 


other,  the  merchants  and  mechanics  were  obliged  to  build 
three  hundred  houses.  By  another,  the  use  of  stone  is  pro- 
hibited for  a certain  time  in  every  city  in  the  empire,  ex- 
cept St.  Petersburg ; and  by  another,  every  ship  arriving  in 
the  harbor  was  to  bring  a certain  quantity  of  stone,  ac- 
cording to  her  size  and  tonnage.  Artisans  and  engineers 
were  invited  from  every  country  in  Europe,  and  the  same 
measures  and  activity  employed  as  marked  the  rise  and 
progress  of  Constantinople  under  Constantine  the  Great. 
In  1724  two-and-thirty  ships  arrived  from  different  coun- 
tries. In  1750  the  population  amounted  to  eighty  thousand, 
and  in  1840,  to  four  hundred  and  fifty  thousand. 

The  first  humble  residence  of  Peter  and  of  Catherine, 
still  stands  upon  the  spot  on  which  it  was  erected,  and  from 
its  threshold  may  now  be  seen  the  immense  palaces  and 
stately  structures  of  the  city,  which  occupies  the  bosom  of 
the  morass.  The  wonderful  rapidity  with  which  all  this  has 
been  effected,  must  be  a subject  of  surprise,  and  will  to  a 
certain  extent  excuse  the  faults  of  style  and  construction, 
that  will  appear  upon  a more  minute  investigation  of  the 
architectural  magnificence  of  St.  Petersburg. 

In  consequence  of  the  wet  and  yielding  nature  of  the 
soil,  great  precautions  are  taken  to  prepare  a proper  foun- 
dation for  the  building  to  be  erected.  Where  a heavy 
weight  is  to  be  sustained,  it  is  frequently  necessary  to  drive 
five  or  six  successive  rows  of  piles,  to  give  a firm  support 
to  the  superincumbent  mass.  Officers  are  appointed  to 
see  that  this  is  done  with  care,  and  the  plan  as  well  as  the 
proposed  style  of  every  edifice,  must  be  submitted  to  the 
consideration  of  the  architect  of  the  government,  who  may 
alter  and  improve  as  it  may  appear,  desirable.  A new  pal- 


110 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ace  was  recently  constructed  for  the  hereditary  Grand 
Duke,  and  the  owner  of  some  vacant  ground  near  by,  who 
desired  to  build  upon  it,  was  compelled  to  consult  the  imperial 
taste,  by  running  up  a wooden  wall,  made  and  painted  to 
resemble  as  nearly  as  possible  the  facade  of  the  building  to 
be  erected.  It  was  examined  from  the  windows  of  the  pal- 
ace, was  not  found  unsightly  or  objectionable,  and  the  builder 
was  permitted  to  proceed.  Brick  is  the  material  generally 
used  for  the  exterior  walls,  wood  being  prohibited  and  stone 
being  too  expensive.  As  soon  as  the  brjpk  wall  is  dry,  it 
receives  a coat  of  plaster  which  is  washed  white,  or  yellow, 
or  pink,  according  to  the  fancy  of  the  proprietor.  This 
plaster  is  stained  and  cracked  with  the  humidity  and  frosts 
of  autumn,  and  peels  off  with  the  storms  and  severe  cold  of 
winter.  The  pilasters  and  ornamented  cornices  are  univer- 
sally affected  in  December  with  a sort  of  cuticular  eruption,, 
and  before  spring-time  the  statues  in  stucco  upon  the  Winter 
Palace,  and  in  the  niches  of  the  imperial  and  noble  dwell- 
ings, have  lost  their  heads  or  arms  or  some  ether  member, 
and  certainly  present  a most  woful  and  ludicrous  ap- 
pearance. 

Towards  the  first  of  June  some  seventy  or  eighty  thou- 
sand serfs  come  from  the  interior,  and  are  set  to  work  to 
repair  and  re-beautify  the  magnificent  city.  Cosmetics  in 
the  shape  of  a new  coat  of  plaster  and  a new  wash  of  color, 
are  applied,  and  by  the  time  the  ice  has  disappeared  and  the 
first  steamers  have  arrived,  St.  Petersburg  looks  as  fresh, 
and  bright,  and  beautiful  as  summer  tourists  have  described 
it.  It  must  be  confessed  that  this  nice  and  new  appearance, 
and  the  immense  extent  and  variety  of  the  buildings,  have 
an  imposing  and  grand  effect;  but  with  the  exception  of  the 


SUMMER  EVENINGS. 


Ill 


really  superb  palace  of  the  Grand  Duke  Michael, — the  fault- 
less elegance  of  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  and  a few  other 
buildings,  there  are  none  that  deserve  a particular  and  es- 
pecial commendation. 

The  time  of  all  times  to  look  with  pleasure  upon  the  lofty 
and  various  edifices  of  St.  Petersburg,  is  the  summer  even- 
ing, when  the  strong  light  from  her  northern  sun,  and  the 
glare  from  her  brilliant  colors,  are  subdued  in  twilight.  The 
warm  and  weary  day  of  August  begins  to  fail  between 
eight  and  nine  o’clock,  and  the  soft  and  mellow  lines  suc- 
ceeding sunset,  then  clothe  with  a peculiar  beauty  the  col- 
onnades and  deep  embrasures  of  every  palace. 

This  is  the  most  agreeable  of  the  diurnal  hours  of  a Rus- 
sian summer.  A cool  breeze  from  the  Baltic  ripples  the 
current  of  the  Neva,  and  the  tinkling  guitar  or  the  voice  of 
song  is  heard  from  the  passing  gondola. 


112 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

The  Hermitage — Imperial  Library — Academy  of  Naval  Cadets — Imperial 
Lyceums — Churches — Tombs  of  the  Czars — Environs  of  the  Capital — 
Peterhoff — Fetes  of  July — Rural  Hermitage  of  Catherine — Imperial  Fish- 
ing— Railroad — Tsarskoe-^elo — Parks  and  Promenades — Fountain  of  the 
Broken  Pitcher. 

It  requires  many  days  to  see  the  various  objects  of  interest 
in  St.  Petersburg.  The  Hermitage  contains  two  thousand 
pictures,  comprising  the  collections  made  by  Sir  Robert  W al- 
pole,  the  Prince  of  Conde,  and  others,  and  abounds  in  the 
best  productions  of  the  Flemish  school.  It  also  contains  the 
private  libraries  of  Voltaire,  Diderot,  Zimmerman,  Busching, 
and  other  distinguished  sages,  vast  numbers  of  antique 
medals,  cameos,  and  precious  ornaments  of  every  age  and 
clime.  Within  it  are  the  famous  winter  gardens,  and  the 
scenes  of  the  voluptuous  banquets  of  the  chosen  few,  whose 
wit  or  genius  or  good  taste  admitted  them  to  the  familiar 
society  of  Catherine.  The  Imperial  library  contains  nearly 
five  hundred  thousand  volumes  and  manuscripts,  the  greater 
part  of  which  are  a portion  of  the  spoils  of  Poland.  The 
manuscripts  from  Persia  and  every  part  of  Asia  are  exceed- 
ingly valuable  and  interesting.  Some  of  the  Latin  writings 
of  the  fifth  sixth  and  seventh  centuries  are  richly  illumi- 
nated and  adorned  with  arabesques.  A codex,  containing 
the  four  Evangelists  on  purple  vellum  and  in  letters  of  gold, 
with  marginal  notes  in  silver  characters,  is  said  to  be  the 


THE  HERMITAGE. 


113 


work  of  the  Empress  Theodora.  This  precious  document 
was  taken  by  the  Russians  during  the  campaign  in  Asia  Mi- 
nor, in  1829.  Besides  all  these,  there  is  a most  extraordinary 
and  valuable  collection  of  romances,  original  correspondence 
and  love-letters  of  the  kings  and  queens  of  France  and  Scot- 
land, for  many  centuries  before  the  revolution.  They  were 
saved  from  destruction  and  purchased  for  a trifle  by  Dou- 
browsky,  after  the  taking  of  the  Bastile,  and  transferred  by 
him  to  the  Imperial  library.  Among  other  curiosities,  in  a 
very  rare  assortment  of  royal  penmanship,  there  is  a writing 
exercise  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth,  copied  by  him  many  times. 
It  is  as  follows  : “ Les  rois  font  ce  qu'ils  veulent ; il  faut 

leur  obeir  a lesson  never  forgotten  by  the  great  king. 

The  museum  of  Peter  contains  his  clothes  and  tools  and 
specimens  of  his  handicraft ; the  museum  of  the  Academy 
of  Sciences  a vast  collection  of  Japanese,  Mongol,  and 
Thibethian  manuscripts ; the  museum  of  the  mining  corps, 
large  specimens  of  native  gold,  and  subterranean  galleries 
which  represent  the  appearance  of  the  Ural  mines  and  the 
operations  of  the  miners ; the  Academy  of  the  naval  cadets, 
a large  model  of  the  frame  of  the  old  American  frigate  Pres- 
ident, which  is  annually  taken  apart  and  rebuilt  by  the 
senior  class  of  students.  Besides  these,  there  are  Imperial 
lyceums,  gymnasiums,  universities,  military  schools,  schools 
of  engineers,  of  law7,  medicine,  pharmacy,  foresters,  pages, 
actors,  and  singers.  Then  there  are  the  Imperial  institu- 
tions for  the  education  of  young  ladies  of  noble  birth ; of 
St.  Catherine,  for  the  instruction  of  the  daughters  of  officers 
of  rank ; of  the  patriotic  ladies  of  St.  Petersburg,  for  the 
care  of  the  orphans  of  poor  officers ; there  are  foundling 
hospitals  which  receive  six  thousand  infants  per  annum ; 


114 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


retreats  for  the  deaf,  dumb,  and  blind,  and  various  others 
too  numerous  to  mention,  and  all  of  which  result  from  the 
munificence  of  the  Emperor,  or  from  the  bounty  of  some 
very  rich  or  very  ambitious  person  who  is  careful  to  imitate 
the  imperial  virtues. 

There  are  two  hundred  churches  and  chapels  in  St.  Pe- 
tersburg, most  of  them  crowned  with  four  or  five  golden  or 
parti-colored  cupolas,  and  all  adorned  internally  with  a pro- 
fusion of  ornaments.  In  the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Kazan 
are  the  shrines  and  miraculous  images  of  the  Virgin  and 
the  saints,  adorned  with  plates  of  gold  and  crowns  of  jewels, 
and  along  the  walls  and  upon  the  columns,  hang  the  tattered 
flags  of  France,  Persia,  Turkey,  and  of  Poland.  Here  too  is 
the  baton  of  Davoust,  who  was  the  governor  of  Moscow,  and 
here  the  tomb  of  Kutusofif,  the  hero  of  Smolenskoi.  In  the 
church  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul,  within  the  walls  of  the  for- 
tress, are  the  sarcophagi  of  granite  containing  the  remains 
of  Peter  the  Great  and  of  his  successors.  Above  and  around 
them  hang  the  countless  trophies  of  Russian  war, — the  ban- 
ners of  Charles  the  Twelfth,  of  the  great  Frederick  of  Prus- 
sia, and  of  the  Shahs  and  Sultans  of  Persia  and  of  Turkey. 
The  church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  at  the  southern  termina- 
tion of  the  Nevsky,  contains  the  relics  of  St.  Andrew  and 
of  St.  Alexander.  The  latter,  who  achieved  a victory  upon 
the  banks  of  the  Neva  over  the  Swedes,  in  1241,  was  orig- 
inally buried  in  a convent  upon  the  Volga,  and  became  one 
of  the  favorite  saints  of  the  Russians.  Peter,  with  the  hope 
of  reconciling  his  people  to  his  new  capital,  transferred  his 
bones  to  the  gorgeous  Cathedral  of  the  Trinity,  inclosed 
them  in  a silver  shrine,  and  surrounded  them  with  all  the 
splendor  that  gold  and  jewelry  could  bestow. 


PETERHOFF. 


115 


In  the  neighborhood  of  the  capital  are  several  magnifi- 
cent palaces  of  the  Czar.  We  went  out  of  the  city  by  the 
Riga  gate,  and  passing  the  cottages  of  Dom  Drury,  where 
once  stood  the  palace  erected  by  the  Emperor  Alexander, 
for  his  mistress  the  Princess  Narishken ; and  Strelna,  once 
the  habitation  of  the  Grand  Duke  Constantine  ; and  the 
many  country  residences  and  gardens,  and  stagnant  pools 
of  water,  extending  for  six  or  seven  miles  along  a very 
dusty  avenue,  reached  the  famous  house  of  Peter.  The 
terraces’  command  a view  of  the  coasts  of  Finland,  and 
the  gardens  reach  down  to  the  very  shores  of  the  gulf  be- 
low. It  is  useless  to  linger  upon  a particular  description 
of  the  wonders  of  Peterhoff.  The  palace  is  a compound 
of  all  styles  of  architecture.  The  rooms  are  filled  with 
every  contrivance  of  luxury  and  art,  and  the  parks  are 
ornamented  with  all  that  human  ingenuity  could  suggest 
An  abundant  supply  of  water  enables  the  imperial  propri- 
etors to  astonish  the  beholders  with  a display  of  artificial 
cascades  and  fountains  not  at  all  inferior  in  effect  to  those 
of  Versailles. 

The  illumination  during  the  fetes  of  July,  when  hall  and 
bower,  wood  and  water,  suddenly  emerge  from  the  doubt- 
ful obscurity  of  midnight  into  resplendent  light ; — -when 
every  leaf  in  the  long  linden  alleys  is  seen  to  sparkle,  and 
the  spray  of  every  fountain  to  scintillate  beneath  the  lustre 
of  myriads  of  rockets  and  colored  lamps,  is  more  than  was 
ever  pictured  to  the  imagination  of  a romancer.  We  saw 
the  summer-house  where  Peter  loved  to  linger  with  his 
dark-eyed  mistress,  an  humble  girl  of  Poland  ; — we  saw 
Mon  Plaisir , where  the  Imperial  Elizabeth  was  wont  to 
amuse  herself  with  feasts  of  love  and  dinners  of  her  own 


116 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


cooking  ; — and  we  saw  also  the  lesser  Hermitage  of  the 
second  Catherine,  a favorite  resort  of  hers  on  summer 
afternoons.  She  was,  it  seems,  so  pensive,  that  she  had 
deep  ditches  made  all  around  this  sylvan  solitude.  To 
guard  her  meditations  from  the  inquisitive  eyes  or  ears 
of  menials,  refreshments  were  introduced  from  the  rooms 
below  to  her  apartments  and  placed  upon  her  table  by 
machinery.  The  adjoining  groves  had  often  witnessed  her 
splendid  festivals,  and  tradition  tells  of  the  youths  arrayed 
in  white  and  shining  garments,  who  danced  in  the  wood- 
lands to  the  voices  of  hidden  nymphs ; and  of  the  rustic 
benches,  which  touched  by  springs  moved  and  formed  into 
tables  and  little  seats,  which  were  covered  as  if  by  magic 
with  the  richest  and  rarest  viands,  served  up  in  gold  and 
silver.  The  mechanical  ducks,  a remnant  of  her  imperial 
playthings,  can  still  be  seen  upon  the  ornamental  waters, 
performing  aquatic  feats.  In  the  neighboring  wood  there 
is  an  artificial  tree,  so  made  as  to  deceive  even  a practised 
eye.  Its  shade  invites  the  stranger  to  approach,  and.  the 
soft  sod  around  its  twisted  roots  entices  him  to  be  seated, — 
whereupon  an  invisible  fountain,  acting  like  an  immense 
watering  pot,  poured  from  above,  furnishes  as  cool  a shower 
bath  as  he  could  possibly  desire. 

We  visited  a muddy  fish-pond,  well  filled  with  carp,  and 
we  saw  the  keeper  feed  them.  He  first  rings  a sort  of  din- 
ner bell,  and  the  fish  immediately  assemble,  as  if  aware  of 
the  importance  of  punctuality.  The  lodge  of  this  keeper 
was  near  the  pond,  and  is  a little  palace  of  itself.  We  per- 
ceived an  unusal  preparation  of  magnificent  fishing  tackle, 
and  upon  inquiry,  were  informed  that  the  Emperor  and  his 
family  would  be  there  in  a little  while  to  fish,  and  take  tea. 


FISHING. 


117 


Presently  several  carriages  arrived  with  servants  and  wait- 
ing maids,  in  the  livery  of  the  Empress.  Next  came  the 
wagons,  containing  the  tea  urns,  and  provisions  sufficient 
for  a regiment.  As  evening  was  fast  approaching ; as  it  was 
time  to  go  on  board  the  steamer  returning  to  the  city ; as 
it  was  not  becoming  to  stare  at  majesty,  while  engaged  in 
fishing ; as  we  would  neither  be  recognized  nor  invited  to 
join  the  party,  we  withdrew,  thinking,  as  we  went,  of  the 
trput  and  the  mountain  brooks  at  home. 

“ The  pleasantest  angling,  is  to  see  the  fish 
Cut  with  her  golden  oars  the  silver  stream, 

And  greedily  devour  the  treacherous  bait.” 

We  repaired  to  the  harbor,  and  soon  left  the  Imperial 
residence  behind  us.  The  boat  was  crowded  with  all  kind 
of  people,  of  all  nations.  Not  a few  of  them  were  stran- 
gers like  ourselves,  and  some  were  persons  of  rank  and 
consideration.  Several  Russian  ladies  were  smoking  their 
segars  with  great  composure,  and  among  them,  quite  con- 
spicuous for  beauty  of  person  and  attire,  was  a countess 
of  high  degree.  She  was  attended  by  a frowsy  footman,  in 
a suit  of  livery,  that  may  once  have  been  gay  and  hand- 
some, but  now  was  stained  and  spotted  with  time  and  filth. 
His  chapeau  was  enormous,  very  antique  in  appearance, 
and  not  inappropriately  termed  by  a companion  “ the  last 
of  the  cocked  hats.”  When  we  reached  St.  Petersburg, 
the  countess  sent  her  lackey  for  a droskey.  Now  a com- 
mon droskey  is  nothing  but  a bench,  resting  upon  springs, 
and  running  upon  four  wheels.  Though  intended  for  one 
person  only,  it  will  take  two  upon  a pinch.  So  the  beautiful 
countess  seated  herself  sidewise  in  front,  and  the  hideous 


118 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


lackey  a-straddle  right  behind  her,  and  away  they  went, 
bouncing  over  the  pavement,  a singular  spectacle  to  unac 
customed  eyes. 

Tsarskoe-celo,  the  village  of  the  Czar,  is  reached  in  half 
an  hour  by  the  railway.  This  railway  was  the  first  that 
was  ever  constructed  in  Russia.  At  the  beginning  it  was 
rather  regarded  with  prejudice  by  the  mass,  but  as  it  was 
undertaken  with  the  consent  and  countenance  of  the  Em- 
peror, no  one  dared  to  raise  objection.  By  the  time  it  went 
into  active  operation,  and  the  Imperial  family  had  passed 
and  re-passed  several  times  in  safety,  it  became  quite  fash- 
ionable in  the  summer  time  to  ride  down  to  Tsarskoe,  or 
to  Pavlovsky,  the  Vauxhall  of  Russia.  On  one  occasion 
the  confidence  of  the  Russian  public  was  interrupted  by  a 
serious  accident.  The  cars  took  fire,  and  several  people 
who  could  not  or  would  not  break  open  the  doors  of  the 
carriage  in  which  they  were  riding,  were  burned  to  death. 
There  is  nothing  that  so  shocks  a Russian  community  as 
accidents  attended  with  loss  of  life.  When  Carter  the  lion 
tamer  went  to  St.  Petersburg,  he  was  permitted  to  exhibit 
his  animals,  but  not  to  enter  the  cages,  lest  he  would  be 
devoured  in  the  presence  of  the  people.  In  consequence 
of  this  accident  upon  the  railroad,  no  one  would  run  the 
risk  of  travelling  by  steam  to  Tsarskoe  ; and  the  Emperor, 
in  a paroxysm  of  rage,  ordered  the  president  of  the  com- 
pany to  appear  before  him.  This  happened  to  be  no  less 
a person  than  a descendant  of  the  great  Catherine,  a 
left-handed  cousin  of  his  majesty,  and  by  universal  report, 
one  of  his  most  intelligent  and  faithful  subjects.  He  was 
fortunately  absent  on  a visit  to  his  estates,  in  the  south  of 
Russia.  Couriers  were  instantly  dispatched,  with  orders 


TSARSKOE-CELO. 


119 


to  the  Count  to  repair  immediately  to  St.  Petersburg,  and 
report  himself  to  his  liege  lord  and  master.  He  rode  night 
and  day,  and  reached  the  city  in  the  evening.  The  Auto- 
crat was  at  the  theatre.  Thither  went  the  Count,  and  in 
the  lobby  adjoining  the  imperial  box,  h©  received  the  in- 
dignant rebuke  of  his  angry  sovereign.  Fortunately  the 
tempest  was  partially  allayed  before  his  arrival ; the  Count 
moreover  was  a favorite,  and  well  knew  the  man  he  had 
to  deal  with.  He  received  the  Imperial  threats  with  due 
submission,  and  was  dismissed  with  orders  to  be  at  the  rail- 
way station  at  an  early  hour  the  next  morning.  He  was 
there  at  the  appointed  time,  and  so  was  Nicholas.  An 
engine  was  ordered  to  “ fire  up,”  a car  was  attached  there- 
to, and  away  went  the  master  and  the  subject  for  Tsarskoe- 
celo.  No  accident  occurred.  His  majesty  was  gracious, 
the  count  was  most  agreeable.  They  returned  in  safety ; 
and  when  they  left  the  car,  the  Emperor  embraced  the 
noble  president  of  the  railroad  company  avec  effusion  de 
coeur.  Public  confidence  was  restored,  stock  went  up,  and 
travel  was  immediately  renewed. 

The  palace  and  grounds  of  Tsarskoe-celo  will  compare  in 
beauty  and  splendor  with  any  royal  residence  in  Europe. 
It  is  utterly  impossible  to  convey  a proper  idea  of  the  im- 
mense sums  that  have  been  squandered  upon  this  imperial 
habitation.  The  exterior  walls  had  been  originally  gilded 
with  gold,  at  an  expenditure  of  many  millions  of  money. 
This  was  torn  off  by  the  rude  blasts  of  winter.  The  vast 
saloons  of  the  interior  still  retain  the  evidences  of  the  bound- 
less wealth  and  extravagance  of  the  second  Catherine. 
There  are  rooms  completely  covered  with  gold ; there  are 
walls  .and  ceilings  of  glass  and  amber ; there  are  floors  of 


120 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


ebony  and  mother-  of-pearl,  and  furniture  exceeding  in  value 
all  the  treasures  of  Windsor  or  Versailles.  The  ceremoni- 
ous pomp  of  Catherine  was  practised  here.  Here  she  re- 
ceived ambassadors  and  foreign  potentates,  and  astonished 
the  princes  of  the  east  with  untold  splendor.  The  surpass- 
ing majesty  of  her  person,  attended  by  a host  of  brilliant  re- 
tainers, from  the  stately  OrlofF  to  the  renowned  and  amiable 
dwarf,  Count  Boruwlaski,  marched  through  these  halls  in  the 
full  panoply  of  courtly  pride  and  decoration. 

The  parks  about  the  palace  are  very  extensive,  and  diver- 
sified here  and  there  with  towers  in  ruin,  Chinese  pagodas, 
and  fanciful  bridges  of  marble  and  iron,  thrown  across  the 
streams  and  cascades  that  intersect  the  grounds  in  various 
directions.  There  is  a little  castle  filled  with  antique  armor. 
There  are  obelisks,  pyramids  and  columns,  and  a Swiss 
dairy  farm,  with  stalls  and  stables,  containing  the  finest 
breeds  of  cattle  in  the  world.  In  the  warm  and  pleasant 
afternoons,  the  walks  are  filled  with  people  from  the  city, 
and  bands  of  music  play  constantly  for  their  amusement. 
The  Imperial  family  were  residing  here  about  the  period  of 
our  visit.  In  our  morning  walks,  before  the  crowd  were  up 
and  stirring,  we  sometimes  saw  the  ladies  of  the  Imperial 
family  riding  in  the  forest.  On  one  occasion,  the  Grand 
Duchess  Olga,  dressed  with  simplicity,  and  attended  only 
by  her  maid,  was  seen  tripping  along  the  lawns  that  border 
a fairy  lake,  filled  with  white  swans  and  ships  in  miniature. 

Our  path  that  morning  lay  for  the  fountain  of  the  Broken 
Pitcher.  The  clear  spring  water  is  brought  by  hidden  pipes 
to  the  top  of  a rock  of  granite.  Upon  this  rock  stands  the 
figure  of  a weeping  girl,  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  broken 
pitcher  at  her  feet,  runs  the  clear  stream  of  water.  We 


THE  BROKEN  PITCHER. 


121 


found  one  of  the  imperial  servants  there,  awaiting  the  ar- 
rival of  the  duchess,  who  in  her  walk  would  return  this  way 
to  quaff  from  the  crystal  fountain.  His  salver  was  neither 
of  gold  nor  silver,  but  an  ordinary  plate,  upon  which  rested 
two  plain  glass  goblets. 

. ■,  --V.:  ’..r,  ■ -y:  "T  ..  .V,"  '■>  : X : 


6 


122 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Model  Farm — Agricultural  Instruction — Implements — Yankee  Farmer — His 
Improvements — Alexandroffsky — American  Mechanics — Railway  to  Mos- 
cow— George  W.  Whistler — The  Foundry — Importation  of  Machinery — 
American  Enterprise. 

A further  description  of  this  or  the  numerous  other  royal 
palaces,  would  be  wearisome  both  to  the  reader  and  the 
writer.  Much  more  interesting  is  the  Imperial  farming  in- 
stitution, also  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capital.  It  is  a model 
farm  of  seven  hundred  acres,  and  a school  for  the  improve- 
ment and  instruction  of  the  peasantry.  With  the  exception 
of  the  hedges  planted  about  it  in  the  English  style,  there  is 
nothing  in  the  condition  and  management  of  the  farm  itself 
entitled  to  particular  observation.  A museum  is  attached 
to  the  premises,  replete  with  all  kinds  of  agricultural  imple- 
ments, from  the  outlandish  machines  called  Russian  ploughs, 
to  the  light  and  simple  article  by  that  name  from  the  United 
States,  The  stalls  contain  fine  cattle  of  various  breeds,  and 
there  were  some  model  cottages,  inhabited  by  those  who, 
having  passed  their  time  as  common  laborers,  were  now 
learning  to  live  as  farmers  should  live,  like  men  and  Chris- 
tians. We  tasted  the  bread,  butter,  cheese,  and  various 
preparations  of  milk,  the  produce  of  the  place,  and  all  of 
which  were  as  good  as  these  things  always  are  at  model 
farms.  Two  hundred  peasants,  from  sixteen  to  twenty 


THE  MODEL  FARM. 


123 


years  of  age,  are  educated  here.  Each  province  is  allowed 
to  send  a certain  number,  who  are  supposed  to  be  selected 
with  reference  to  their  superior  intelligence  and  industry. 
Fifty  of  them  are  graduated,  and  a new  class  of  fifty  admit- 
ted every  year.  We  were  informed  by  the  director  of  the 
establishment,  a German,  that  some  of  the  graduates  have 
turned  out  well,  and  some  been  found  indifferent  and  in- 
curable. To  teach  them  cleanliness  is  almost  impossible ; 
and  he  assured  us  that  when  they  first  entered  the  school, 
they  literally  did  not  know  the  difference  between  sweet 
and  sour. 

One  of  the  most  amusing  incidents  attending  our  visit  to 
this  institution,  was  to  find  there  an  American  who  had  but 
lately  arrived  in  the  country.  He  spoke  nothing  but  Eng- 
lish, and  could  hold  no  communication  whatever  with  those 
around  him,  except  through  the  medium  of  signs  and  ges- 
tures. He  was  a tall  thin  man,  with  a thoughtful  counte- 
nance. He  had  brought  with  him  a number  of  improved 
instruments  of  agriculture,  such  as  were  never  seen  before 
in  Russia.  He  displayed  in  a practical  light  the  advantages 
of  these  Yankee  contrivances  He  found  the  pupils  of  the 
farming  institution  reaping  wheat  with  the  old-fashioned 
sickle,  mowing  with  a short  scythe  attached  to  a ten-foot 
pole,  and  ploughing  in  every  way  but  the  right  one.  He 
perfectly  astonished  the  natives  with  his  long  straight  fur- 
rows, his  clean-cut  sward,  and  his  gigantic  strides  with  the 
mysterious  cradle.  One  blustering  day  he  saw  the  scholars 
cleaning  grain  by  throwing  it  up  in  the  wind,  which  carried 
off  the  dust  and  chaff,  while  the  grain  fell  to  the  ground. 
Our  countryman  did  not  like  this  antiquated  process,  and 
constructed  a winnowing  mill,  out  of  such  materials,  and 


124 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


with  such  tools  as  happened  to  be  at  hand.  It  worked  beau- 
tifully, and  the  maker  was  regarded  by  the  young  barbarians 
with  the  most  profound  respect.  This  very  useful  and 
estimable  person  afterwards  had  an  interview  with  the  Min- 
ister of  the  interior,  who  presides  over  this  institution,  and 
it  was  rumored  that  he  was  about  to  be  elevated  to  a pro- 
fessorship in  the  college  of  husbandry.  He  did  not  how- 
ever, remain  very  long  in  the  country,  and  was  rewarded 
for  his  services  by  being  elected  an  honorary  member  of  the 
Imperial  Society  for  the  Improvement  of  Agriculture. 

The  foundry  of  AlexandrofFsky,  near  the  gates  of  St. 
Petersburg,  is  now  in  the  possession  and  under  the  control 
of  American  mechanics  in  the  employ  of  the  government. 
Some  account  of  the  settlement  and  success  of  the  Ameri- 
cans at  AlexandrofFsky  may  be  interesting.  Some  time  in 
1840,  the  Emperor  Nicholas  assembled  his  counsellors,  and 
requested  their  opinions  as  to  the  feasibility  of  a railway 
from  St.  Petersburg  to  Moscow.  It  was  opposed  by  all,  ex- 
cept the  Count  Kleinmichel,  the  minister  of  ways  and  com- 
munications. The  Emperor  however,  had  determined  to 
make  the  road  before  he  asked  advice.  He  surmised 
that  the  council  merely  opposed  his  views,  that  he  might 
be  gratified  with  the  apparent  illiberality  of  his  ministers, 
and  thus  be  pleased  with  the  idea  of  his  own  merit  and  his 
own  power,  as  the  sole  benefactor  of  his  country. 

After  due  consideration,  it  was  concluded  that  railroads, 
as  they  are  constructed  in  the  United  States,  were  the  best 
adapted  for  the  empire,  and  George  W.  Whistler,  an  Amer- 
ican gentleman  of  distinguished  ability  in  his  profession,  was 
invited  to  visit  Russia  and  superintend  the  making  of  the 
proposed  road.  A better  selection  could  not  have  been 


AMERICANS  IN  RUSSIA. 


125 


made.  The  difficulties,  which  would  have  discouraged 
most  men  in  such  a country  and  among  such  a people  at 
the  outset  of  such  an  undertaking,  vanished  before  his  un- 
equalled industry,  knowledge,  and  tact.  Intrigue  and  envy 
fell  before  his  consistency  and  firmness,  and  the  Imperial  favor 
and  the  public  approbation  have  rewarded  the  merits  and 
worth  of  a citizen  whose  conduct  and  character  are  worthy 
the  republic.  After  certain  preliminaries  had  been  arranged, 
the  contracts  for  the  making  of  the  locomotives,  cars,  wagons 
and  carts,  were  offered,  and  parties  from  England,  France, 
Belgium,  Holland,  Germany,  and  the  United  States,  sent  in 
their  proposals  to  the  department  of  ways  and  communica- 
tions. Among  these  was  one  from  a party  of  young  me- 
chanics, Messrs.  Harrison  and  Eastwick  of  Philadelphia,  and 
Mr.  Winants  of  Baltimore.  They  had  been  informed  by 
some  of  the  Russian  agents  in  the  United  States,  that  it 
would  be  for  their  interest  to  visit  St.  Petersburg  and  en- 
deavor to  get  this  contract.  They  had  no  capital  to  invest 
in  any  undertaking  of  this  kind,  nor  could  they  boast  of  any 
influence  at  court.  They  nevertheless  repaired  to  the  cap- 
ital, and  with  little  prospect  of  success  in  the  race  with 
those  of  superior  credit  or  pretension,  they  sent  in  their 
proposals.  When  it  is  known  that  these  proposals  were 
accepted,  and  that  too,  when  other  parties  had  offered  to 
contract  at  a much  lower  rate, — the  confidence  of  the  gov- 
ernment in  the  skill  and  ability  of  the  American  mechanics, 
is  sufficiently  apparent.  It  also  shows  that  the  government 
had  a perfect  knowledge,  through  their  foreign  agents,  of 
the  capability  and  character  of  the  men  they  wished  to 
employ.  Money  was  a matter  of  no  consequence,  influence 
at  court  was  of  no  importance,  and  all  those  who  had  built 


126 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


their  hopes  on  these  considerations,  were  thrown  aside  for 
others,  who  were  known  at  home  to  be  late  and  early  in  the 
work -shop,  and  to  possess  the  necessary  intelligence,  energy, 
and  perseverance. 

As  soon  as  it  was  reported  that  the  Americans  had  the 
contract,  a prolonged  growl  was  heard  in  the  English  quar- 
ter. That  the  Kamtschatka  steam  frigate  should  have  been 
built  in  the  United  States  ; that  she  should  beat  any  thing 
for  speed  or  beauty  in  the  north  ; — that  she  should  be  the 
favorite  sea-boat  of  the  Emperor,  in  spite  of  the  rumors  that 
told  of  her  blowing  up,  or  going  down  with  all  on  board, 
was  bad  enough;  but  that  these  infernal  Yankees  should  be 
insinuating  themselves  into  the  Imperial  favor,  in  defiance 
of  all  precautions  to  the  contrary,  was  almost  beyond  en- 
durance. The  Americans  had  the  contract,  and  from  the 
moment  this  was  known,  their  credit  was  unlimited  both  in 
England  and  in  Russia.  Those  who  had  possession  of  the 
works  at  Alexandroffsky,  were  notified  to  leave  forthwith, 
and  the  Americans  immediately  moved  in,  and  occupied 
the  vast  buildings  and  grounds,  covering  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  and  belonging  to  the  factory.  The  dwell- 
ings occupied  by  the  late  superintendents  and  now  opened  for 
the  use  of  the  new  proprietors  were  all  that  could  be  desired. 
Saloons,  bath-rooms,  ceilings  in  fresco,  gardens,  summer- 
houses and  duck  ponds,  witnessed  the  taste  and  the  comfort 
of  the  original  possessors.  The  foundry  itself  contained  three 
hundred  Russian  workmen,  and  a quantity  of  old  machinery 
out  of  date  and  out  of  order.  All  these  wanted  renovating 
and  repairing.  Orders  were  immediately  dispatched  to 
England  and  the  United  States,  for  all  the  new  and  ap- 
proved inventions.  Fifteen  or  twenty  assistant  workmen 


ALEXANDROFFSKY. 


127 


were  brought  from  the  latter  country.  But  many  of  these 
would  not  remain,  for  although  they  were  better  paid  than 
they  would  be  elsewhere,  they  could  not  support  the  ennui 
attending  a residence  where  there  are  no  public  meetings, 
nor  discussions,  nor  newspapers,  nor  elections,  nor  lectures, 
not  even  a temperance  excitement  to  alleviate  the  pains  of 
exile. 

American  newspapers  are  seldom  seen  in  Russia.  The 
Sun,  published  in  New  York,  and  sold  for  one  cent  the 
number,  was  delivered  to  a subscriber  in  St.  Petersburg 
at  one  dollar  and  a half  per  copy.  The  rates  of  postage 
are  very  high.  Before  the  subscriber  could  stop  the  afore- 
said journal  a large  amount  of  money  had  been  expended. 

As  the  Russians  were  incapable  of  doing  many  kinds  of 
work,  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  Sweden  for  assistance, 
and  sixty  intelligent  mechanics  were  brought  from  that 
country.  The  foundry  was  enlarged,  all  was  soon  in 
movement,  and  three  thousand  artisans  employed  in  the 
manufacture  *of  two  hundred  locomotives  and  seven  thou- 
sand cars,  in  one  of  the  best  and  most  complete  establish- 
ments in  the  world.  It  was  visited  by  the  minister  and  the 
princes,  and  all  were  delighted  with  the  experiment  and 
the  improvement.  Other  contracts  for  the  making  of  en- 
gines and  steamboats,  amounting  to  many  millions  of  money, 
were  offered  to  the  Americans.  When  they  commenced 
operations,  they  were  desirous  of  introducing  a system  of 
police,  altogether  different  from  that  one  prevailing  at  Alex- 
androffsky.  Their  humane  exertions  were  frustrated  by 
the  utter  ignorance  of  the  Russian  laborers  of  all  notions 
of  common  honesty  or  morality.  Some  of  them  were  serfs 
of  the  crown,  some  of  them  serfs  of  the  nobles,  and  some 


128 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


free  peasants,  They  would  steal  whatever  they  could  con- 
veniently conceal  and  carried  off  in  their  clothing — tools, 
bits  of  brass,  copper,  or  whatever  else  would  purchase  a 
dram.  It  became  absolutely  necessary,  therefore,  to  adopt 
the  old  practice  of  having  soldiers  stationed  at  the  entrances, 
and  every  Russian  who  passed  out  was  regularly  searched. 
Every  morning  some  were  so  intoxicated  as  to  be  unable 
to  work ; these  were  given  in  charge  to  a police  officer,  by 
whom  they  were  stripped  and  flogged.  The  Emperor  vis- 
ited the  works  at  Alexandroffsky,  not  long  since,  and  ex- 
pressed his  satisfaction  to  Messrs.  Eastwick,  Harrison,  and 
Winants,  by  presenting  each  of  them  with  a diamond  ring. 
He  also  passed  over  the  railway  as  far  as  Colperno  to  which 
point  it  is  finished,  and  returned  to  confer  upon  the  distin- 
guished engineer  the  order  of  St.  Anne,  and  to  express  his 
gratification  in  a ukase.  The  railway  to  Moscow  will  be 
completed  in  1849. 

In  1842  the  most  valuable  import  into  Russia  from  the  Uni- 
ted States,  next  after  the  article  of  cotton,  was  machinery. 
This  was  mostly  intended  for  the  foundry  of  Alexandroffsky, 
and  the  furtherance  of  the  work  upon  the  railroad.  The 
steam  earth-excavators  and  steam  pile-drivers  were  consid- 
ered extraordinary  productions,  and  so  useful  did  they  ap- 
pear that  directions  were  given  for  their  further  importation 
and  their  general  use  upon  the  various  public  works.  It 
was  about  this  time  that  an  American  dentist  arrived  from 
Paris  to  inspect  the  imperial  masticators,  and  so  successful 
were  his  operations  that  he  was  decorated  with  the  ribbon 
of  St.  Andrew.  Soon  after,  Nicholas  sent  to  America  for 
bridge  builders  and  millwrights,  as  Peter  sent  to  Holland* 
for  blacksmiths  and  carpenters.  The  report  of  this  exceed- 


ENTERPRISE. 


129 


ing  partiality  for  the  citizens  of  the  republic  soon  attracted 
attention  in  the  United  States,  and  during  the  ensuing  sum- 
mer, almost  every  steamer  brought  in  some  enterprising  son 
of  New  England.  Patent  fire-arms,  contrivances  for  mak- 
ing pins,  and  specimens  of  almost  every  new  invention 
were  presented  for  the  patronage  of  the  Autocrat.  Letters 
were  addressed  to  his  imperial  majesty  from  individuals  re- 
siding in  the  far  west,  requesting  service  in  the  army  and 
navy,  while  his  excellency  the  American  Minister  received 
parcels  marked  “ this  side  up  with  care,”  and  containing  vari- 
ous articles  which  he  was  directed  to  deliver  immediately 
to  the  Emperor  of  all  the  Russias.  There  were  daguerreo- 
type views,  there  were  models  of  bridges  and  floating  docks, 
and  plans  and  specifications  for  building  ships  and  steam- 
boats. One  person  was  ready  to  supply  any  demand  for 
excellent  clocks ; another  sent  a set  of  mineral  teeth  as  a 
sample  of  his  workmanship ; another  sent  his  majesty  a work 
on  the  treatment  of  diseases  of  the  spine ; another  sent  to 
each  of  the  Imperial  family  a barrel  of  Newtown  pippins, 
and  some  member  of  the  temperance  society,  an  awful  look- 
ing picture  of  the  human  stomach  diseased  by  the  use  of 
brandy.  Never  was  there  such  a prospect  of  the  tide  of 
emigration  running  eastward,  and  if  free  trade  had  been  the 
order  of  the  day,  if  the  passport  and  police  system  had  not 
presented  such  barriers  to  circumforaneous  strangers,  if  the 
Emperor  had  not  published  a ukase,  stating  that  no  presents 
whatever,  coming  from  unknown  individuals,  would  be  re- 
ceived in  future  by  the  Imperial  family,  the  regeneration  of 
the  empire  might  have  been  completed  through  the  agency 
of  speculating  Yankees. 


6* 


130 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Indications  of  Winter — Effects  of  the  Cold — Sleighing — Streets  of  St.  Peters- 
burg— Russian  Mountain — Bear  Hunting — Academies  of  Science  and  Art 
— Theatres— Actors — The  Opera — The  Corps  de  Ballet — Music — Dress — 
The  Clubs — Whist  Playing. 

The  delicate  and  vaporous  hues  of  the  long  twilights 
of  July,  are  followed  in  September  by  the  dark  nights  and 
gloomy  days  of  the  early  winter  of  the  north.  The  leaves 
have  all  withered,  the  air  is  sharp,  the  sky  looks  gray  and 
dull.  The  south-west  winds  begin  their  wailing  accents, 
the  Neva  joins  in  with  mournful  murmurs,  and  all  nature 
sighs  with  seeming  sadness  over  the  early  grave  of  summer. 
Clouds  of  dust  sweep  through  the  great  avenues  and  pene- 
trate the  crevices  of  every  door  and  window.  Colds  and 
asthmas  prevail.  Strangers  prepare  to  leave.  Housekeepers 
are  engaged  in  putting  in  double  window-sashes  and  lining 
the  doors  with  felt,  and  every  one  who  is  able  flies  from  a 
country  that  Randolph  of  Roanoke,  after  an  experience  of 
twenty  days,  described  as  “ a land  cursed  with  all  the  plagues 
without  possessing  any  of  the  fertility  of  Egypt.”  It  is  im- 
possible to  conceive  of  a more  disagreeable  climate.  Frost 
begins  about  the  twenty-seventh  of  September  and  lasts  until 
the  first  of  May.  It  was  calculated  by  the  celebrated  Euler 
that  there  are  only  sixty  days  in  the  year  when  it  does  not 
rain  or  snow  at  St.  Petersburg.  About  the  first  of  October 
the  white  standard  floating  upon  the  winter  palace  announ- 


THE  LAST  BOAT. 


131 


ces  the  presence  of  the  Emperor.  The  aristocracy  move  to 
town.  Furs  are  very  comfortable  without,  and  additional 
fires  very  necessary  within  doors.  The  fierce  west  wind, 
accompanied  with  whirling  flurries  of  snow,  brings  up  the 
water  from  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  and  the  Neva,  collecting 
in  its  channel  the  current  from  the  lake  above  to  swell  this 
tribute  from  the  sea  below,  rises  and  overflows  the  adja- 
cent country.  Sometimes  this  wind  and  water  is  so  fraught 
with  danger  as  to  fill  the  city  with  alarm ; and  frequently 
the  great  guns  booming  from  the  fortress,  announce  to  the 
inhabitants  there  is  apprehension  of  disaster.  It  is  by  no 
means  unusal  to  see  the  water  in  the  streets.  In  1824,  St. 
Petersburg  was  covered  as  with  a sea  for  two  entire  days. 
The  basement  of  every  house  and  palace  was  submerged, 
furniture  and  provisions  floated  upon  the  waste  of  waters  : 
an  immense  amount  of  property  was  destroyed,  and  eight 
thousand  people  lost  their  lives. 

It  is  at  this  dreary  season  that  the  last  steamer  takes  its 
departure  for  another  land.  The  last  boat ! How  many 
anxious  feelings  are  excited  in  the  bosom  of  the  resident  at 
this  announcement ! How  many  assemble  on  the  pier  that 
day  to  gaze  upon  the  envied  few  who  are  to  escape  before 
the  great  portals  of  the  Baltic  are  locked  with  ice!  and 
when  the  last  adieu  is  waved  and  the  lingering  crowd  dis- 
perse, how  do  the  thoughts  of  all  revert  to  other  scenes ! To 
those  who  live  in  Russia  and  who  have  lived  elsewhere,  the 
west  apparently  begins  half  way  across  the  Baltic.  There 
is  something  exceedingly  sad  in  the  aspect  of  the  Russian 
autumn,  but  other  than  physical  influences  are  active  in 
producing  the  most  painful  sensations.  Gloomy  and  half- 
savage looking  men,  looking  more  gloomy  and  more  unhappy 


132 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


because  of  the  contrast  with  those  who  wear  the  rich  insig- 
nia of  power,  create  unpleasant  thoughts  enough ; but  it  is 
the  silence  imposed  upon  the  tongue,  the  restraint  which 
weighs  upon  the  spirit,  that  produce  the  most  annoying  im- 
pressions upon  the  freeborn  stranger  in  the  cold  despotism  of 
the  north.  In  1843  a Russian  nobleman,  while  in  England, 
engaged  a suitable  person  to  superintend  a manufactory  he 
had  recently  established  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Petersburg. 
The  Englishman  was  to  receive  a very  handsome  compen- 
sation, and  arrived  in  Russia  with  the  intention  of  remaining 
several  years,  as  he  was  bound  to  do  by  contract.  He  was 
a hale,  hearty,  stout  fellow,  as  full  of  mirth  and  good  humor 
as  any  Englishman  we  ever  saw.  He  went  to  the  factory, 
commenced  work  with  great  earnestness,  and  continued  for 
some  time  to  give  Satisfaction  to  his  employer.  But  in  the 
autumn  he  returned  to  St.  Petersburg,  declared  he  could  no 
longer  support  the  melancholy  with  which  he  was  afflicted, 
and  with  tears  rolling  down  his  ruddy  cheeks,  and  with 
groans  enough  to  break  his  heart,  he  prayed  to  be  relieved 
from  his  engagement.  He  would  sacrifice  all  he  had,  he 
would  give  up  his  prospects  of  fortune  and  preferment,  to 
be  permitted  to  leave  Russia  and  go  to  some  other  country. 

About  the  first  of  November  the  cold  increases  in  sever- 
ity ; the  water  is  congealed  to  the  consistency  of  jelly,  and 
the  snow  freezes  as  it  falls.  Still  the  mercury  descends, 
and  toward  the  latter  part  of  the  month,  the  Neva  is  cov- 
ered with  solid  ice.  The  Russian  rejoices  when  the  snow 
is  deep  and  hard,  and  as  soon  as  the  police  will  permit  him 
to  venture  upon  the  ice-bound  river,  he  launches  forth  upon 
his  sleigh  and  drives  at  full  speed  along  the  paths  which  are 
marked  out  with  branches  of  the  pine.  Boats  rigged  with 


AUTUMN. 


133 


sails  and  impelled  by  the  wind  glide  swiftly  up  and  down, 
and  when  it  is  not  too  cold,  a few  skaters  appear  and  prac- 
tise the  sport  of  winter. 

When  these  “ melancholy  days  have  come”  the  stranger 
breakfasts  at  nine  or  ten  o’clock  with  the  aid  of  candlelight. 
Piercing  with  his  eyes  the  glass  of  the  double  windows  and 
the  drowsy  obscurity  of  day,  he  discovers  snow  enough  to 
last  for  months.  After  the  sun  is  fairly  up,  he  wraps  about 
him  a pelisse  lined  with  a fur  that  forcibly  recalls  to  the 
mind  of  an  American  the  affecting  story  of  that  “ same  old 
coon,”  and  singing 

11  Sad  are  the  lays  of  merry  days, 

And  sweet  the  songs  of  sadness,” 

out  he  goes  into  the  clear  cracking  cold  of  a Russian  win- 
ter morning.  He  finds  the  pavements  nicely  swept,  and 
may  walk  all  day  without  a fall ; or  stepping  into  a traineau , 
he  is  off  for  the  animated  Nevsky.  By  four  o’clock  in  the 
afternoon  he  finds  himself  humming;  “ twilight  dews,”  and 
hastens  home  to  dinner.  This  being  over,  he  may  repair 
to  the  French,  German  or  Russian  play,  and  thence  to  a 
masquerade  or  some  similar  entertainment.  And  thus  with 
the  stranger  go  the  days  of  winter.  There  is  the  greatest 
difference  in  European  cities  with  respect  to  the  attractions 
they  offer  to  him  who  travels  merely  for  amusement.  So- 
ciety is  so  organized  in  some  capitals,  is  so  affected  by  the 
peculiar  customs  of  the  people  or  so  regulated  by  the  police 
or  the  policy  of  government,  as  to  assume  certain  marked 
and  distinct  features.  Of  all  continental  cities,  Paris  is  de- 
servedly the  favorite, — 

“ L’on  ne  vit  qu’a  Paris  et  Ton  vegete  ailleurs.” 


134 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Next  comes  Vienna.  Berlin  is  a poor  imitation  of  St. 
Petersburg.  Whatever  there  is  of  display  in  the  latter  city 
is  indeed  magnificent,  but  this  is  only  occasional  and  always 
of  a public  character.  Nothing  proceeds  from  the  popula- 
tion. It  is  not  a sprightly  nor  an  interesting  population,  and 
after  Russian  beards  and  Russian  sheepskins  have  become 
familiar  to  the  eye,  the  curiosity  of  the  stranger  is  gratified. 
If  he  is  not  admitted  to  the  festivities  of  the  court,  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  find  amusement.  With  sight-seeing  he  is  wearied 
in  a week,  and  gladly  leaves  the  unvaried  scene  to  find  in 
another  city  the  bustle  and  the  gayety,  the  comfort  and  the 
pleasure,  the  music  and  the  beauty  which  were  hidden  from 
him  here,  and  which  there  make  every  day  a fete  day. 

As  the  season  advances,  some  bright  clear  days,  by  far 
the  finest  of  the  Russian  year,  bring  out  into  the  streets 
crowds  of  the  population.  The  peasantry  of  the  surround- 
ing country  flock  to  the  city  with  their  sleighs  and  horses, 
and  the  animation  and  variety  of  the  multitude,  who  ride 
or  walk  upon  the  Nevsky,  surpasses  all  that  is  seen  in  sum- 
mer. On  such  days  as  these,  when  there  are  no  clouds  to 
dim  the  short  triumphs  of  the  sun,  this  beautiful  promenade 
is  crowded  from  twelve  to  two  o’clock  with  the  most  sin- 
gular assembly  of  people  in  the  world.  Every  description 
of  face  and  figure,  from  almost  every  country  in  Europe 
and  of  Asia,  all  wrapped  in  furs  of  the  most  common  or 
most  costly  kind,  occupy  the  side-walks  ; while  the  carriage- 
way is  completely  filled  with  sleighs,  from  the  dashing  turn- 
out of  the  noble  to  the  humble  sledge  of  the  Finnish  wo- 
man, who  sits  upon  a large  block  of  ice.  They  all  drive 
with  great  rapidity,  and  yet  an  accident  seldom  occurs ; for 
if  any  one  is  injured  by  accident  or  design,  no  matter 


STREETS. 


135 


which,  the  horses  and  equipage  causing  the  injury  are  in- 
stantly seized  by  the  police  and  confiscated.  The  side- 
walks in  the  Nevsky  and  along  the  quays  and  upon  all  the 
principal  streets,  are  always  cleared  of  snow  and  ice,  and 
covered  with  clean  gravel,  so  that  the  walking  is  as  good  in 
winter  as  in  summer.  This  excellent  practice  was  intro- 
duced by  the  Emperor  Alexander,  who  was  himself  a fa- 
mous pedestrian. 

The  Emperor  Nicholas  is  frequently  seen  in  the  Nevsky. 
His  approach  will  be  noticed  by  the  unusual  flutter  of  the 
crowd,  as  if  his  coming  had  been  announced  by  an  avant 
courier \ Hats  fly  off,  and  each  one  wheels  to  the  right- 
about, and  waits  the  approach  of  his  imperial  majesty. 
If  he  rides,  it  is  in  an  old  and  forlorn  barouche  or  sleigh  ; if 
he  walks,  it  is  alone  and  at  a moderate  pace.  There  is 
nothing  in  his  appearance  to  attract  attention.  A tall 
figure  in  a chapeau  and  plume,  a dark  cloth  cloak  and  strap- 
less pantaloons,  passes  along,  receives  the  homage  of  his 
subjects,  gives  them  the  military  salute  in  return,  and  disap- 
pears before  the  multitude  have  recovered  from  their  sur- 
prise. The  other  members  of  the  Imperial  family,  gener- 
ally ride  out  in  a low  chariot-and-four,  with  grooms  in  blue 
and  silver.  Sometimes  they  pass  unobserved  in  a plain 
close  coach,  while  the  servants  and  retainers  of  the  house- 
hold, who  frequently  go  errands  in  the  great  court  carriages 
with  footmen  in  scarlet  liveries,  are  mistaken  for  imperial 
blood  and  receive  the  reverences  of  the  people.  The  fear 
of  the  exactions  of  the  police  obliges  every  householder  to 
be  vigilant  in  seeing  that  the  exterior  of  their  premises 
is  kept  in  good  order,  and  they  employ  one  or  two  servants 
called  dvornicks  for  this  particular  purpose.  Beggars  are 


136 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


never  seen.  Smoking  in  the  streets  is  strictly  prohibited. 
The  Emperor,  while  walking  one  day,  met  a Frenchman 
smoking  a segar.  He  approached  and  asked  him  if  he  was 
not  aware  that  it  was  contrary  to  the  law  to  smoke  in  the 
street.  The  Gaul  not  knowing  by  whom  he  was  addressed, 
replied  that  he  had  been  in  the  habit  of  smoking  in  the 
streets  of  Paris,  and  did  not  know  why  he  should  not  do  so 
in  the  streets  of  any  other  city.  The  Emperor,  who  detests 
a Frenchman,  left  him,  and  proceeding  to  the  boutka  or 
station  of  a policeman  near  at  hand,  gave  directions  to  the 
boutoushnik  as  to  the  disposition  of  the  smoker.  The  lat- 
ter was  immediately  placed  by  force  in  a kibitka,  which  is 
a small  wagon  without  springs  of  any  kind,  and  bounced 
over  a thousand  miles  of  bad  road  to  the  Turkish  frontier, 
where  he  was  dismissed  with  permission  to  follow  the  Paris- 
ian fashions. 

The  fine  winter  days  we  have  alluded  to,  when  the  sun 
shines  brightly,  and  when  it  is  not  too  cold  to  walk,  are  very 
few.  During  the  winter  solstice,  the  sun  rises  at  one  quar- 
ter past  nine,  and  sets  at  half-past  two.  Frequently  the 
clouds  and  mist  so  effectually  obscure  his  rays  as  to  make 
the  use  of  artificial  light  absolutely  necessary  even  at  high 
noon.  The  mean  maximum  of  cold  is  about  twenty- two 
degrees  below  zero.  Sometimes  the  thermometer  is  as  low 
as  thirty  and  thirty-five  of  Fahrenheit.  During  this  period 
of  excessive  cold,  it  is  almost  incredible  to  witness  the  har- 
dihood of  the  common  Russian,  whose  beard  is  white  with 
frost,  and  whose  body  is  protected  only  with  a sheepskin. 
But  regular  exercise  in  the  open  air  is  altogether  impossible 
for  those  who  are  not  acclimated,  and  these,  when  they  ven- 
ture out,  are  obliged  to  ride  well  muffled  up  in  furs.  With  the 


ICE  HILLS. 


137 


bottom  of  the  sleigh  lined  with  robes,  and  the  person  en- 
veloped in  an  ample  pelisse,  cap,  boots  and  gloves  of  fur, 
it  is  by  no  means  unpleasant  to  glide  along  the  slippery 
pavements  away  toward  the  ice  hills.  The  Russian  moun- 
tain is  a platform  between  thirty  and  forty  feet  high,  reached 
by  a stairway.  On  one  side  of  this  platform  there  is  an  in- 
clined plane,  paved  with  blocks  of  ice.  The  little  sledge  is 
started  down ; the  conductor  sitting  behind  gives  it  direc- 
tion with  his  hand,  and  away  it  goes  with  great  celerity  to 
the  bottom,  and  is  carried  by  the  impetus  a considerable 
distance  beyond.  This  is  one  of  the  principal  winter  amuse- 
ments of  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  St.  Petersburg, — an 
amusement  much  less  dangerous,  but  which  resembles  more 
than  any  other,  that  one  practised  every  winter  upon  the 
declivities  of  Gotham,  and  which  is  known  to  every  native 
urchin  by  the  singular  name  of  “ belly-gutters.” 

Besides  excursions  to  the  ice  hills,  sleighing  parties  resort 
during  the  evenings  to  the  hotels  in  some  of  the  adjoin- 
ing villages,  inhabited  by  German  colonists,  where  they 
dance  until  the  witching  hour,  when  they  wrap  up  to  return. 
These  are  called  pic  nics.  Sometimes  as  many  as  fifty 
sleighs  start  off  together  for  the  German  village,  and  both 
going  and  returning,  an  upset  in  the  snow  is  regarded  as  no 
little  pleasure.  The  fine  nights  of  Russia,  when  millions  of 
stars  tremble  in  the  cold  clear  firmament,  and  the  moon- 
light sparkles  upon  the  crusted  snow,  are  very  beautiful. 
The  evergreen  and  ever-silent  woodland,  hung  with  white 
drapery,  and  the  pine  boughs  tipped  with  icicles,  image  forth 
the  realms  of  the  great  frost  king.  Fairy  shadow's  dance 
across  the  crystal  surface,  and  the  keen  air  tingles  with  fairy 
voices.  But  when  the  snow  has  drifted  into  waves,  and  the 


138 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


sleigh  goes  pitching  like  a little  boat  at  sea,  it  is  not  unusual 
for  one  unaccustomed  to  the  motion,  to  be  afflicted  with 
sensations  which  deprive  him  of  the  pleasure  of  making  any 
such  observations. 

An  extensive  forest  and  morass,  surrounding  the  capital 
on  every  side,  are  filled  with  a variety  of  game  and  beasts 
of  prey.  Wolves  frequently  enter  the  suburbs  of  the  city, 
and  are  heard  to  howl  a dismal  chorus  to  the  long  wild  cry 
of  the  Russian  sentry.  In  the  month  of  December,  the  peas- 
ants penetrate  to  the  remote  parts  of  the  morass  in  search 
of  bear,  then  dozing  away  the  winter.  When  they  find 
him,  they  send  word  to  the  hunting  clubs.  A day  is  named 
for  his  destruction,  and  they  assemble  in  arms  at  the  forest 
rendezvous.  Peasants  go  in  and  rouse  up  old  Bruin  with 
shouts  and  blows,  and  then  fly  toward  the  sportsmen.  Bruin 
follows  in  hot  pursuit,  enters  the  ambuscade,  and  many  balls 
enter  his  devoted  body.  The  club  return  to  town  in  tri- 
umph and  in  appetite  for  dinner.  Such  are  some  of  the 
sports  of  the  gentry  in  winter  time,  but  as  a general  rule, 
their  amusements  are  not  of  so  active  a description.  About 
Christmas,  the  markets  present  a curious  spectacle.  Great 
quantities  of  frozen  beef  from  the  interior,  frozen  fish  from 
the  White  and  Caspian  Seas,  various  kinds  of  game  from 
the  distant  government  of  Vologda,  and  rein-deer  from  Arch- 
angel, are  brought  into  the  city  over  the  vast  snow-fields. 
Fresh  salmon  and  trout  from  the  Neva  are  also  abundant, 
and  many  fine  vegetables  from  the  hot-houses  in  the  vicin- 
ity are  offered  for  sale  every  morning.  The  prices  of  these 
different  articles  vary  with  the  season,  the  state  of  the  tem- 
perature, the  condition  of  the  roads,  and  the  number  of  ar- 
rivals. Provisions  destined  for  St.  Petersburg  are  not  lia- 


THEATRES. 


139 


ble  to  taxes  of  any  kind,  and  cost  about  twenty  per  cent,  less 
than  at  Paris. 

In  October,  the  annual  exhibition  of  miserable  produc- 
tions by  native  artists,  is  visited  by  the  amateurs  of  paint- 
ing, and  every  chevalier  d’industrie.  In  January,  the  Acad- 
emy of  Sciences  holds  its  yearly  session,  and  the  literati, 
savans,  and  foreign  ambassadors,  are  invited,  and  expected 
to  attend.  The  minister  of  public  instruction,  who  presides 
on  the  occasion,  sometimes  goes  fast  to  sleep  in  the  presence 
of  the  learned  assembly,  while  prosy  documents  in  the  ver- 
nacular are  read  by  the  secretary,  for  the  edification  of  all 
concerned.  These  are  two  great  events  in  the  Russian 
year,  so  far  as  art  and  literature  are  concerned.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  theatres  and  club-houses  are  filled  nightly 
to  overflowing.  The  theatres  are  under  the  control  of  a 
manager  appointed  by  the  government.  Plays  are  per- 
formed in  the  German,  French,  and  Russian  languages. 
The  French  theatre  is  patronized  by  the  Emperor,  and  is  of 
course  the  favorite  of  all  those  of  any  pretensions  to  ele- 
gance or  fashion.  Performers  for  the  French  theatre  are 
selected  by  a Russian  agent  stationed  in  Paris ; and  every 
inducement  is  offered  to  the  most  finished  members  of  the 
corps  dramatique  of  France,  to  persuade  them  to  accept  an 
engagement  for  the  imperial  theatre  of  St.  Petersburg. 
Those  who  enlist  for  a certain  number  of  years,  receive  a 
liberal  salary,  and  retire  upon  a pension  that  enables  them 
to  pass  the  remainder  of  their  days  in  ease  and  comfort. 
Some  of  them  become  favorites  at  court,  and  often  return 
to  their  country  with  fame  and  fortune. 

The  singular  conduct  of  the  Emperor  Paul,  with  respect 
to  the  allies,  has  been  attributed  to  the  influence  of  a French 


140 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


actress.  It  appears  that  the  secret  agents  of  the  French 
in  Russia,  induced  a very  fascinating  person  by  the  name 
of  Chevalier,  to  appear  upon  the  stage  in  St.  Petersburg. 
This  woman  was  skilled  in  music,  of  which  the  monarch 
was  passionately  fond.  Watching  for  his  presence,  she 
sung  one  evening  of  his  generosity  and  valor.  It  was  the 
siren  song  that  led  him  to  destruction.  She  became  the 
idol  of  the  infatuated  Paul,  and  acting  according  to  the  di- 
rections of  her  subtle  countrymen,  she  induced  him  to  recall 
Suwaroff  from  the  fields  of  Italy,  and  break  off  the  Austrian 
alliance.  She  next  received  the  bribes  of  Zubof,  and  others, 
the  exiled  favorites  of  Catherine,  and  interceded  successfully 
in  behalf  of  those  who  were  afterwards  to  be  the  assassins 
of  her  imperial  lover.  When  he  was  murdered,  she  applied 
for  permission  to  leave  the  country.  This  was  granted, 
upon  condition  that  she  returned  a diamond  cross  that  had 
once  been  the  property  of  Peter  the  Great.  Madame 
Chevalier  was  not  at  all  disposed  to  give  up  this  precious 
relic,  resisted  stoutly  the  officer  who  was  sent  to  take  it 
from  her,  and  finally  departed  with  a million  in  jewelry  and 
money. 

Russian  plays  are  principally  translations  from  the  German 
and  English.  Schiller  and  Shakspeare  are  represented  to 
Russian  audiences,  and  Hamlet  is  transformed  into  a most 
comical  and  amusing  character.  The  corps  de  ballet  is 
very  numerous.  It  is  composed  of  youths  taken  from  the 
foundling  hospital,  and  is  under  the  immediate  superintend 
ence  of  an  officer  appointed  by  the  Emperor.  They  occupy 
houses  furnished  by  the  government,  they  are  taken  to  and 
from  the  theatre  in  the  carriages  of  the  government,  and 
depend  entirely  upon  the  government  for  support.  They 


OPERA. 


141 


were  well  drilled  during  the  engagement  of  Taglione,  but 
there  is  a stiffness  and  want  of  spirit  in  their  action  remind- 
ing one  constantly  of  the  martinet. 

The  music  of  Rossini  and  Donnizetti  has  been  adapted 
and  sung  in  the  Russian  opera  with  considerable  success. 
The  language  as  heard  in  song  is  exceedingly  sweet  and 
agreeable.  In  all  that  appertains  to  scenic  effect,  the  thea- 
tres of  St.  Petersburg  are  as  complete  as  any  in  the  world. 
Foreign  artists  are  employed  to  prepare  the  machinery  and 
make  the  necessary  embellishments.  Italian  opera,  with 
Rubini,  Tamburini,  Castellan  and  Viadot  Garcia,  was  at 
this  time  very  successful.  Every  box  was  taken  at  enor- 
mous prices,  and  every  seat  in  the  parterre  commanded 
from  five  to  fifteen  dollars  every  night  during  the  season. 
The  imperial  loge  was  always  occupied  ; and  an  array  of 
ladies  richly  dressed  and  gentlemen  in  uniform,  was  such  as 
is  seldom  seen  elsewhere.  The  enthusiasm  was  tremendous. 
The  theatre  is  the  only  place  where  a display  of  enthusiasm 
is  permitted  in  Russia.  Any  amount  of  applause  is  lawful, 
but  loud  talking  or  hissing  is  severely  punished.  Great 
performers  were  called  again  and  again  before  the  curtain, 
and  greeted  with  bravos  and  bouquets  innumerable,  and  after 
all  is  over,  to  guard  them  from  the  cold  they  were  carefully 
deposited  in  sacks  lined  with  fur,  carried  to  the  sleigh  in 
waiting,  and  conveyed  to  their  warm  apartments.  His 
imperial  majesty  evinced  his  satisfaction  by  apppointing 
Tamburini  chief  of  the  choir  of  the  palace.  He  sent  the 
immortal  tenor  and  the  prima  donna  the  most  costly  and 
brilliant  presents,  and  the  delighted  troupe  gave  it  as  their 
decided  opinion,  that  if  Italy  is  pleasant  in  the  summer, 
Russia,  of  all  countries,  was  the  most  agreeable  in  winter. 


142 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


The  first  club  in  St.  Petersburg  is  called  the  English 
club.  It  was  founded  in  1770  by  the  English  merchants. 
It  is  now  composed  of  three  hundred  and  fifty  members,  most 
of  whom  are  Russians.  There  are  always  more  than  two 
thousand  candidates  for  admission  to  this  select  association. 
The  club-house  is  large  and  commodious.  It  contains 
bowling-alleys,  billiard -rooms,  dining-halls,  and  all  else  nec- 
essary for  comfort,  convenience,  and  pleasure.  Foreign 
papers  authorized  by  the  Censor  are  found  in  the  reading 
rooms.  This  club  is  famous  for  its  good  wines  and  dinners, 
and  somewhat  notorious  for  the  large  amount  of  money  lost 
and  won  upon  its  tables. 

The  club  of  the  nobility  is  composed  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  junior  officers,  clerks  in  the  various  departments,  and 
civilians  in  the  service  of  the  government,  a pale  and  rather 
loaferish-looking  set,  who  assemble  once  a week  to  eat  a 
dinner,  served  at  a moderate  rate  in  very  elegant  glass 
plate.  After  dinner  the  whole  company  adjourn  to  another 
room,  assemble  around  a table,  and  play  loto,  looking  the 
while  as  sorrowful  as  possible.  Loto  is  a favorite  game  of 
the  Empress.  It  is  therefore  a favorite  with  the  club  of  the 
nobility,  but  why  the  members  of  the  said  club  should  look 
so  lugubrious,  is  a mystery  to  this  day.  The  other  clubs, 
whether  German  or  Russian,  are  hardly  worth  mention. 
They  are  the  resort  of  those  who  have  no  other  resource, 
and  who  seek  to  conceal  the  intolerable  stupidity  of  Russian 
life,  by  play  and  dissipation.  A number  of  discarded  favor- 
ites, old  and  worn-out  roues  and  courtiers,  disappointed  and 
reduced  nobles,  frequent  these  places,  and  whisper  each 
other  all  the  court  scandal  of  the  past  and  present.  Here 
too,  the  more  ardent  and  youthful  aspirants  for  promotion 


GAMING. 


143 


are  occasionally  seen,  in  search  of  those  whose  influence 
may  avail  them  ; and  besides  all  these,  are  many  who  have 
never  hoped  to  rise  above  the  honors  of  short  whist. 

Gaming  is  prohibited  by  the  laws  of  Russia  as  it  is  by  the 
laws  of  Austria  and  France.  In  all  these,  as  well  as  in  most 
other  countries,  however,  the  loss  and  gain  of  money  by 
cards  do  not  appear  to  be  regarded  as  ordinary  gambling. 
Roulette,  rouge  et  noir,  and  other  hazards  of  this  kind  have 
been  abolished  by  the  imperial  ukase,  while  gaming  to  any 
extent  in  any  other  way,  is  by  no  means  unlawful.  The 
government  itself  retains  the  sole  right  of  making  and  manu- 
facturing playing  cards,  and  the  profits,  which  are  .very  con- 
siderable, are  devoted  by  the  Emperor  to  the  support  of  the 
foundling  hospitals  of  the  country.  The  Russians  are  the 
best  card  players  in  the  world.  In  St.  Petersburg  they 
peculiarly  excel.  By  constant  practice  they  have  attained 
a quickness  and  easy  superiority  that  completely  baffle  the 
skill  of  the  stranger.  Every  ball-room  has  its  card  party, 
every  saloon  is  furnished  with  card-tables,  and  in  the  midst 
of  mirth  and  music,  the  votaries  of  the  game  are  constantly 
engaged.  In  the  very  highest  ranks,  and  among  the  most 
refined  circles  of  the  capital,  gaming  is  followed  with  an 
earnestness  that  is  surprising.  A noble  lady  receives  her 
guest  without  discomforting  her  partner,  and  the  minister  of 
state  preserves  his  secrets  and  his  silence  by  playing  whist. 
Many  a fair  one  by  losing  has  been  won,  and  many  a favor 
by  winning  has  been  lost.  The  card-tables  are  covered  with 
green  baize,  and  the  record  of  the  game  is  marked  upon  it 
with  chalk.  When  the  play  is  finished  a settlement  is  made, 
and  each  one  draws  out  a large  pocket-book,  filled  with  bank 
notes  of  most  villanous  look  and  smell,  and  in  the  presence 


144 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


of  all  that  is  considered  to  represent  the  concentrated  excel- 
lencies and  refinement  of  European  society,  they  pay  out 
and  receive  their  money.  The  winner  places  a note  be- 
neath the  candlestick  for  the  benefit  of  the  maitre  d’hdtel, 
and  retires  from  the  scene  of  conquest. 


PALACES. 


143 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Palaces  of  the  Nobles — Festivities — Furniture  and  Ornaments — Jewelry  and 
Decorations — Taste  and  Luxury — The  Czar — The  Grand  Duke  Michael — 
Imperial  Fetes— Winter  Palace — Presentation— The  Empress — Courtiers — 
Ball — Banquet — First  of  January — Blessing  the  Waters — Emperor’s  Day. 

Wealthy  nobles  residing  in  St.  Petersburg  display  the 
extravagance  and  splendor  of  petty  sovereigns.  Their  pal- 
aces are  filled  with  the  most  costly  ornaments  and  the  most 
luxurious  furniture.  Jasper  and  porphyry  adorn  the  walls ; 
columns  and  pilasters  of  solid  malachite,  valued  at  five 
and  six  thousand  dollars  each,  support  the  sculptured  ceil- 
ings. Cabinet-makers  and  upholsterers  arrive  every  year 
from  Paris,  and  bring  all  that  is  necessary  to  refit  with  addi- 
tional magnificence  their  great  abodes. 

During  the  winter  they  are  engaged  in  a constant  succes- 
sion of  festivities.  The  brilliancy  of  these  festal  scenes  sur- 
passes all  description.  A yellow  radiance  shooting  athwart 
the  gloom  of  the  cold  dark  night,  like  the  reflection  of  a 
vast  conflagration,  marks  the  direction  of  the  illuminated 
palace.  Hundreds  of  four-horse  carriages  deposit  by  turns 
their  precious  burdens,  and  a squadron  of  dragoons  keep 
back  the  crowd  of  commoners  attracted  like  moths  by  the 
shining  light.  Carpets  are  laid  from  the  carriage  to  the 
threshold,  and  lead  from  wintry  obscurity  and  bleakness 
to  halls  as  lustrous  and  as  warm  as  a southern  clime  in 
summer.  Footmen  remove  the  pelisses  and  goloches,  and 

1 


146 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  guests  ascend  the  broad  staircase  of  Carrara  marble, 
lined  with  lackeys  in  powdered  perriwigs  and  gay  liveries, 
in  the  style  of  the  old  French  court.  Apartments  with 
fretted  roofs,  tesselated  pavements,  hung  with  cloths  of  gold 
and  adorned  with  furniture  in  or  moulu,  mother-of-pearl,  and 
every  variety  of  ornament,  open  one  into  the  other.  Ball- 
room, card-room,  picture  gallery,  library,  museum,  conserva- 
tory of  exotic  plants,  alcoves  with  fountains  and  statuary,  the 
tea-room,  fragrant  with  the  aroma  of  the  Chinese  flower ; 
the  quiet  parlor,  with  a carpet,  and  a cosy  fire  blazing  upon 
the  hearth ; all  have  their  visitors,  and  afford  each  one  the 
enjoyment  he  prefers. 

The  inestimable  value  of  jewelry,  rich  and  tasteful  dresses, 
a fitness  of  every  part  and  every  performer,  heighten  the 
fascination  of  these  delightful  scenes.  A hundred  menials 
wait  in  the  antirooms,  banquet  chambers  contain  every 
foreign  delicacy,  and  there  is  nothing  desirable  in  nature  or 
art  to  be  bought  with  gold,  that  is  wanting  for  the  pleasure 
or  the  comfort  of  the  guest.  A general  amenity,  united  with 
the  disposition  to  seek  and  to  enjoy  whatever  is  preferred, 
without  reference  to  the  opinions  or  tastes  of  others,  pro- 
duce an  ease  of  manner  and  a freedom  from  affectation, — 
the  most  agreeable  traits  in  the  courtly  society  of  St.  Pe- 
tersburg. There  are  especial  occasions,  however,  when  a 
change  is  perceptible  in  the  feelings  and  conduct  of  the  as- 
sembly. This  results  from  the  restraint  imposed  by  the  Impe- 
rial presence.  Any  member  of  the  august  family  of  the  Czar 
has  merely  to  signify  the  intention  of  visiting  a noble  house 
at  an  appointed  time,  to  insure  a most  brilliant  reception. 

A noble  who  is  honored  with  the  information,  prepares 
with  more  than  ordinary  care  to  give  eclat  to  the  occasion; 


THE  CZAR. 


147 


and  he  selects  from  among  the  courtiers  those  only  whose 
association,  he  supposes,  would  not  be  disagreeable  to  his 
sovereign.  An  appearance  of  anxiety  is  depicted  on  almost 
every  face,  and  there  is  a stiffness  of  demeanor  and  a solem- 
nity of  deportment  really  distressing.  The  Emperor,  on 
these  occasions,  is  usually  dressed  in  a dark  loose  frock  coat 
and  ample  pantaloons  of  his  favorite  Cossacks.  An  epaulet 
and  a bit  of  ribbon  at  the  button  are  his  only  decorations, 
and  his  whole  appearance  indicates  more  of  negligence  than 
neatness  of  person.  He  moves  softly  and  quickly  from  room 
to  room,  exhibiting  in  his  countenance  and  manner  some- 
thing of  diffidence  and  something  of  impatience, — the  first 
frequently  verging  upon  awkwardness,  the  latter  approach- 
ing violence.  His  restlessness  hurries  him  from  one  apart- 
ment to  another,  surprising  with  his  sudden  entrance  those 
who  supposed  he  was  a long  way  off.  As  he  enters,  the 
company  rise  up,  make  the  most  profound  obeisance,  and 
stand  silently  before  him.  Every  eye  is  upon  him,  every 
ear  is  open  to  catch  his  words.  He  may  or  he  may  not  return 
the  general  salutation  with  a bow : — he  may  or  he  may  not 
motion  the  ladies  to  resume  their  seats,  and  he  will  occa- 
sionally single  out  and  advance  toward  some  individual,  and 
commence  a conversation,  which  will  be  terminated  with  an 
abrupt  departure  for  another  chamber. 

No  one  is  permitted  on  any  account  to  address  the  Im- 
perial family  on  any  subject,  and  the  conversation  is  usually 
limited  to  the  question  of  the  sovereign  and  the  reply  of 
the  subject.  The  Grand  Duke  Michael  appears  frequently 
at  the  soirees  of  the  nobles.  He  is  the  commander-in-chief 
of  the  army,  and  wrears  the  uniform  of  a major-general. 
His  wit  as  exercised  upon  those  who  incur  his  displeasure, 


148 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


makes  his  presence  even  more  disagreeable  than  that  of  his 
Imperial  brother.  He  walks  with  his  hands  behind  him. 
His  large  head  and  heavy  face  adorned  with  red  whiskers 
and  mustache,  project  in  front.  His  eye,  which  seems  to 
rest,  with  no  little  satisfaction,  upon  his  well-proportioned 
lower  limbs  and  neat  small  feet,  is  raised  ever  and  anon  to 
gaze  with  a vacant  stare  into  the  submissive  and  abject 
countenances  of  those  around  him.  Perhaps  he  may  ap- 
proach some  frightened  noble  and  say  something  that  may 
be,  or  that  he  may  consider  very  witty;  whereat  the  per- 
son addressed  will  laugh  very  merrily,  notwithstanding  his 
knees  are  knocking  together  all  the  while  with  excessive 
agitation.  The  Grand  Duke  Michael,  however,  is  the  pos- 
sessor of  many  amiable  qualities.  The  Empress,  and  the 
younger  members  of  the  Imperial  family,  are  much  more 
affable  and  conciliatory  in  their  conduct  on  these  occasions. 
But  it  is  evident  that  the  departure  of  their  majesties  is  a 
relief  to  all  concerned,  and  happy  is  he  who  retires  to  his 
home,  to  say  that  he  received  a nod  of  recognition  from  his 
sovereign,  or  to  think  that  he  discovered  a symptom  of 
approbation  in  the  looks  of  his  most  potent  seigneurs.  The 
Emperor  Alexander  asked  a courtier  what  favor  he  could 
bestow  upon  him.  Every  time  you  see  me  at  the  court,” 
was  the  reply,  “ whisper  in  my  ear,  You  are  an  ass.” 

The  imperial  fetes  are  unequalled  in  magnificence.  The 
splendor  of  those  of  the  Winter  Palace  exceed  perhaps  any 
thing  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  The  Emperor’s  day,  or  the 
day  of  St.  Nicholas,  is  celebrated  in  December  with  un- 
usual pomp.  All  approaches  to  the  palace  are  lined  with 
the  dragoons  of  the  guard.  At  an  early  hour  hundreds  of 
four  horse- carriages,  with  new  harness  and  new  liveries, 


WINTER  PALACE. 


149 


drive  up  to  the  different  entrances,  discharge,  and  fall  into 
line  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  square.  The  appearance 
of  these  numerous  equipages,  the  beauty  of  the  horses,  gay 
colors  of  the  caps,  sashes,  and  clothing  of  the  coachmen 
and  postillions,  and  plumes  of  the  chasseurs,  present  a very 
striking  and  curious  sight. 

The  Winter  Palace  is  three  stories  high.  Its  basement 
is  used  for  culinary  purposes.  Its  entresol  is  occupied  by 
the  domestics.  The  second  story  contains  the  private 
apartments  of  the  Imperial  family,  and  of  the  ladies  of  the 
court  in  waiting.  The  third  is  the  abode  of  the  officers 
of  the  household.  The  whole  number  of  persons  residing 
beneath  the  imperial  roof  is  more  than  one  thousand.  The 
first  story  of  this  immense  building  is  connected  with  the 
first  story  of  the  Palace  of  the  Hermitage  by  a gallery,  and 
the  two  together  form  the  most  spacious  and  extensive 
suite  of  rooms  in  the  world.  These  are  devoted  to  the 
ceremonies  of  the  court.  The  gate  of  the  ambassadors 
leads  into  a great  basement  hall,  filled  with  plants  of  rare 
beauty  and  perfume.  Beyond  is  the  marble  staircase, 
where  a valet,  wearing  a black  cap  and  feather,  a black 
velvet  frock  coat,  and  variegated  small-clothes,  receives 
the  person  to  be  presented,  ushers  him  from  one  room  to 
another — from  the  military  hall  to  the  hall  of  the  marshals 
— from  the  hall  of  Alexander  to  the  hall  of  St.  George — 
from  the  hall  of  Peter  to  other  halls  equally  as  magnificent, 
until  he  arrives  in  the  apartment  of  the  throne,  the  great 
audience  chamber  and  place  of  presentation,  where  the 
diplomatic  corps  await  the  coming  of  the  Emperor. 

Immediately  after  high  mass  has  been  celebrated  in  the 
Imperial  chapel,  the  doors  leading  from  the  latter  into  the 


150 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


hall  of  the  throne  are  opened,  and  the  advanced  guard  of 
the  Imperial  cortege  passes  through.  First  comes  a crowd 
of  military  officers,  often  a thousand  in  number,  in  every 
kind  of  uniform ; next  the  gentlemen  of  the  horse ; next 
the  gentlemen  of  the  chamber,  four  hundred  strong ; and 
next  the  masters  of  the  ceremonies,  all  in  gala  dress.  These 
pass  on  through  the  hall  of  presentation  into  the  apartments 
beyond.  Then  comes  the  grand-master  of  ceremony  in  a 
gold  coat,  swinging  his  staff  of  office,  and  immediately  after 
him  the  Emperor  and  Empress  enter  hand  in  hand,  and 
salute  with  the  most  graceful  civility  the  representatives 
of  other  courts.  The  younger  members  of  the  Imperial 
family,  the  corps  of  pages,  and  the  great  ministers  of  state, 
follow  their  majesties,  and  remain  in  the  apartment  during 
the  audience.  The  Emperor  is  dressed  in  a plain  dark  loose 
uniform ; the  Empress  in  white  satin,  and  a long  train  of 
velvet  lined  with  ermine.  Her  neck  and  arms  are  covered 
with  jewelry,  and  her  head  with  a coronet  of  diamonds. 
Pages  drop  her  heavy  train,  and  their  majesties  advance 
with  the  grand-master,  and  address  the  members  of  the  corps 
diplomatique.  The  Emperor  has  very  little  to  say,  and 
has  finished  his  part  of  the  performance  in  a few  minutes. 
The  Empress  prolongs  the  interview.  She  passes  from 
one  to  the  other  trembling  with  excitement.  She  bears 
all  the  marks  of  early  beauty,  but  art  cannot  conceal  the 
furrows  that  care  and  sickness  have  left  upon  her  fea- 
tures. She  converses  with  each  one  about  their  respec- 
tive countries.  She  removes  the  glove  from  her  fair  thin 
hand,  and  presents  it  to  the  person  honored  with  the  pre- 
sentation. The  latter  takes  it  with  his  own,  kisses  it  with 
respectful  fervor,  and  her  majesty  passes  to  the  next  in 


PRESENTATION. 


151 


order  until  the  interview  is  finished.  Their  majesties  then 
again  join  hands,  and  march  on  into  the  other  rooms  beyond, 
followed  by  the  grand  dukes  and  duchesses,  pages,  minis- 
ters of  state,  and  finally  by  the  ladies  of  the  court,  several 
hundred  in  number,  dressed  in  the  national  court  costume. 
A white  satin  gown  is  worn  beneath  a robe  of  red  velvet, 
which  opens  in  front,  and  falls  loosely  from  the  shoulders 
and  the  back  in  a long  train.  Bracelets  and  necklaces 
of  great  value  cover  the  naked  arms  and  bosom,  and  a 
tiara  of  red  velvet,  set  with  precious  stones,  placed  over 
the  forehead,  contrasts  most  forcibly  with  the  pallid  coun- 
tenances of  the  wearers,  unaccustomed  to  this  early  rising 
and  morning  exercise. 

In  the  evening  of  the  same  day  the  streets  are  illumi- 
nated. At  eight  o’clock  the  dignitaries  of  the  Empire, 
and  the  gentry  of  the  court  assemble  again  in  the  ball- 
room of  the  palace,  and  crowd  up  about  the  doors  through 
which  their  majesties  are  to  enter.  As  soon  as  they  are 
thrown  open  the  orchestra  strike  up,  “ God  save  the  Em- 
peror,” and  the  Imperial  family  appear^  and  greet  the  as- 
sembly with  bows  and  courtesies.  The  Czar  in  a scarlet 
coat,  a steel  cuirass,  white  buckskin  breeches  and  military 
boots,  displays  his  fine  tall  person  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. The  Czarina  is  in  white  satin  and  diamonds.  She 
is  followed  by  the  Grand  Duke  Alexander, — the  heir  to 
the  throne, — a large  stout  person,  with  a very  amiable 
expression  of  countenance,  and  much  gentleness  of  man- 
ner, and  all  the  other  members  of  this  remarkably  good- 
looking  family.  The  giant  Orlofif,  the  constant  companion 
of  the  Emperor ; the  Prince  of  Georgia,  a Russian  pen- 
sionary ; the  Hetman  of  the  Cossacks ; the  various  petty 


152 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


czars  of  the  tribes  tributary  to  the  Empire ; the  accom- 
plished Nesselrode,  with  his  weasel  face  and  small  gray 
peering  eyes ; the  pompous  Tchernicheff,  the  minister  of 
war;  the  Woronzows,  the  Narichkens,  the  DemidofFs,  the 
Wolkonskies  and  Dolgourouskis ; the  Potoskis,  Luber- 
merskis,  and  other  great  Polish  nobles,  who  do  homage  to 
the  Czar ; the  foreign  princes  of  various  degrees ; Knights 
of  Malta,  and  gentlemen  of  every  order  ; painters  and  poets 
of  reputation,  and  many  distinguished  characters — all  are 
there,  and  all  in  the  gay  colors  and  rich  costumes  of  their 
rank  and  country. 

The  defects  of  paint,  even  the  something  of  flummery, 
so  apparent  in  every  court  and  every  palace  in  the  day  time, 
have  disappeared.  Every  thing  is  remoulded,  softened,  and 
beautified  beneath  the  influence  of  wax  light.  The  Em- 
peror and  Empress,  and  some  of  the  more  important  char- 
acters open  the  ball  with  a polonaise,  a measure  well  suited 
to  the  dignity  of  monarchs,  inasmuch  as  they  may  move 
fast  or  slow,  as  may  appear  convenient.  The  dancing  of 
their  majesties  is  usually  confined  to  a stately  march.  After 
the  polonaise,  the  company  are  at  liberty  to  move  about  at 
pleasure.  Some  dance  quadrilles  ; some  go  to  the  card- 
tables  in  the  hall  of  St.  George  ; some  stroll  into  the  gal- 
lery containing  many  hundred  portraits  of  Russian  officers, 
painted  by  an  Englishman,  who  made  a job  of  it  and  made 
a fortune  ; and  others  find  amusement  and  refreshment  in 
the  antirooms. 

Files  of  grenadiers  of  the  guard  are  stationed  at  every 
door- way.  They  are  tall  fellows,  in  snow-white  uniforms, 
and  golden  breast-plates,  helmets,  and  immense  jack-boots, 
and  stand  motionless  like  statues.  At  midnight  precisely, 


IMPERIAL  FETES. 


153 


supper  is  announced  with  a flourish  of  trumpets  and  the  fir- 
ing of  cannon,  and  his  majesty  leads  his  imperial  consort  and 
his  guests  into  the  marble  chamber.  Here  is  a scene  mag- 
nificent beyond  description.  The  banquet  hall,  of  immense 
extent,  is  set  with  tables  loaded  with  vessels  of  silver  and 
of  gold.  Beneath  the  boughs  of  the  orange-trees,  bending 
with  fruit,  each  one  takes  his  appointed  seat.  Negroes  in 
Moorish  costume,  serve  every  delicacy  in  the  world.  The 
imperial  tokay,  and  the  wine  of  every  country,  are  poured 
from  golden  tankards,  while  the  most  delicious  music  and 
the  sounds  of  falling  waters,  come  floating  upon  perfumes, 
from  the  groves  of  the  winter  garden.  Belshazzar  the  king 
made  not  so  great  a feast.  It  rivals  the  enchantment  of 
eastern  story. 

Such  fetes  as  these  are  numerous,  and  each  one  seems 
superior  to  the  other.  On  the  first  of  January  old  style,  a 
popular  ball  is  given  in  the  palace.  More  than  twenty  thou- 
sand people  of  all  classes  are  present.  The  eighteenth  of 
January  is  celebrated  with  the  religious  ceremonies  attend- 
ing the  blessing  of  the  waters.  Every  river  and  canal 
throughout  the  empire,  are  blessed  withall  the  pomp  and  cir- 
cumstance of  the  Grecian  rites.  A large  hole  is  cut  in  the 
ice  upon  the  Neva,  opposite  the  palace,  and  over  it  is  erect- 
ed a little  temple  covered  with  purple  and  gold.  A scar- 
let carpet  is  spread  from  the  portals  of  the  palace  to  the 
steps  of  the  temple.  At  an  appointed  signal  a procession  of 
bearded  priests,  in  white  satin  vestments  bordered  with  gold 
lace,  form  in  ranks  on  each  side  the  passage  to  the  river. 
Then  pass  out  the  imperial  choir,  singing  anthems ; and 
the  chosen  men  bearing  the  holy  standards.  To  these  suc- 
ceed the  Metropolitan  and  the  Bishops,  in  episcopal  crowns 

7* 


154 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


and  habiliments,  like  those  of  Levitical  priests  under  the 
old  dispensation.  Immediately  after  these  follow  the  Em- 
peror, Grand  Dukes,  and  a crowd  of  general  officers,  all 
bareheaded.  The  Metropolitan  enters  the  temple,  and  hav- 
ing blessed  the  water,  takes  a bucket  full  from  out  the 
stream,  approaches  the  Emperor  and  sprinkles  him  as  in 
baptism.  The  Emperor  then  embraces  and  is  kissed  by  the 
Metropolitan.  The  like  ceremony  is  repeated  through  all 
the  Imperial  Dukes  and  suite  ; the  procession  then  returns 
to  the  palace,  where  religious  exercises,  and  the  vocal  har- 
mony of  a choir,  producing  the  finest  sacred  melody,  detain 
the  court  for  another  hour. 

The  day  of  the  Empress,  the  day  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Heretier,  and  many  other  days  are  observed  with  equal 
pomp.  Upon  the  occasion  of  a betrothal  or  marriage  of  a 
prince  or  princess  of  the  Imperial  fine,  numerous  and  various 
fetes  follow  fast  one  upon  the  other.  Fancy  balls,  and  rep- 
resentations of  the  courts  of  Constantine  and  Charlemagne, 
and  of  the  knights  and  heroes  of  romance  and  chivalry,  oc- 
cupy the  whole  time  and  attention  of  the  courtiers,  while 
every  householder  is  obliged  to  illuminate  his  premises  every 
night,  for  days  together,  and  at  his  own  expense,  in  testi- 
mony of  his  participation  in  the  pleasure  of  his  Imperial 
maste  \ 


SALLE  DE  LA  NOBLESSE. 


155 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Salle  de  la  Noblesse — Masquerades — The  Grand  Duchess  Helen — Carnival 
— Lent — Amusements — Concerts  — Colonel  Lolof— Good  Friday — Easter 
Week — Parades — Field  of  Mars — Review  of  May — The  Guards — Discipline 
- — Drill — Termination  of  the  Season — Approach  of  Spring. 

Assembly  balls  of  the  nobility  are  given  in  the  Salle  de 
la  Noblesse,  the  finest  ball-room  in  the  world.  The  first  of 
the  season  is  opened  by  the  Emperor  and  Empress  in  per- 
son, and  attended  by  the  elite  of  the  society  of  St.  Peters- 
burg. An  immense  saloon  in  pure  white  and  gold,  is  sur- 
rounded with  a colonnade,  raised  a few  feet  from  the  floor, 
forming  a delightful  promenade,  and  giving  a charming 
coup  d’oeil  of  the  multitude  of  dancers. 

Variety  of  costumes;  bright  colors  of  the  Persians,  Cir- 
cassians, Georgians  and  Greeks  ; fur  jackets  of  the  hussars  ; 
embroidered  coats  of  the  lancer^;  and  the  uniform  of  the 
officers  of  every  grade  in  the  Russian  service,  as  seen  be- 
neath the  effulgence  of  thousands  upon  thousands  of  wax 
lights,  is  marvellous  indeed.  The  plumes,  flowers,  and  dia- 
monds of  a thousand  beautiful  women,  the  rich  and  costly 
decorations  of  a thousand  nobles,  all  sparkling  in  the  dance 
to  the  sweetest  music,  completely  dazzle  the  eye  of  him, 
who  enters  from  the  gloom  prevailing  without.  What  is 
equally  surprising,  the  Cossacks  and  Tartars,  and  other  ori- 
ental characters,  dance  the  polka  in  a manner  perfectly 
edifying  to  the  advocates  of  civilization.  At  midnight  pre- 


156 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


cisely  this  fairy  scene  takes  another  phasis.  The  orchestral 
music  of  four-and-forty  fiddlers,  is  suddenly  interrupted  by 
the  horns  and  trumpets  of  a military  band,  stationed  in  the 
gallery.  The  doors  of  the  hall  are  open  to  all  who  choose 
to  pay  for  the  entree,  and  the  exclusive  elegance  of  the  aris- 
tocratic party  is  destroyed.  Bearded  merchants  and  public 
courtezans  mingle  with  princes  and  princesses.  The  men 
wear  their  hats,  button  up  their  coats,  take  off  their  gloves, 
and  the  women  conceal  their  faces  and  their  figures  be- 
neath the  mask  and  domino.  This  change  of  sound  and 
scene,  dress  and  manner,  is  complete.  The  ball  is  changed 
into  a revel,  and  boisterous  merriment  and  silent  intrigue 
fill  up  the  remainder  of  the  night.  Masquerades  are  fre- 
quently given  at  the  opera  house.  They  commence  at 
midnight,  and  are  often  attended  by  the  Emperor  and  the 
Grand  Dukes.  But  their  presence  is  never  noticed  on 
these  occasions,  and  they  pass  without  the  usual  marks  of 
recognition.  Women  only  are  allowed  to  appear  in  dis- 
guise. At  one  of  these  balls,  a female  closely  disguised  in 
mask  and  domino,  approached  Count  OrlofF,  and  asked  him 
to  show  her  the  Emperor,  saying  she  had  come  from  a dis- 
tant province  to  see  her  mighty  sovereign.  The  Count 
took  her  to  the  Emperor,  and  after  some  hesitation  she  ad- 
dressed him,  stating  that  she  was  extremely  gratified  to  have 
seen  her  noble  master,  whose  beauty  was  as  conspicuous  as 
his  valor  was  immortal.  She  then  expressed  a wish  to  see 
his  imperial  brother.  His  majesty  summoned  before  him 
the  Grand  Duke  Michael.  “ Is  this  your  brother  V*  said  the 
mask.  “ Yes,”  was  the  reply.  “ Impossible  !”  exclaimed 
the  mask,  “ how  can  such  a red-faced,  red- whiskered,  ugly- 
looking  fellow  be  the  brother  of  so  handsome  and  so  amia- 


CARNIVAL. 


157 


ble  a prince.”  The  Emperor  laughed  heartily,  and  the 
Grand  Duke  surprised  at  the  boldness  of  the  woman,  deter- 
mined to  ascertain  who  she  could  be,  and  dare  to  use  such 
language.  She  tried  to  escape  him,  but  in  vain.  His  spies 
traced  her  from  the  theatre  to  his  own  palace,  and  the  mask 
was  found  to  be  no  other  than  his  lady,  the  Grand  Duchess 
Helen. 

Balls  and  festivals  reach  the  highest  degree  of  brilliancy 
during  carnival.  The  week  before  Lent,  which  is  the  Rus- 
sian carnival,  is  called  the  maslianitza , or  butter  week, 
because  the  eating  of  meat  is  prohibited,  while  butter  is 
used  as  a substitute.  The  utmost  extravagance  and  licen- 
tiousness prevail.  Shows  and  ice  hills,  erected  by  the  gov- 
ernment in  the  square  of  the  Admiralty,  are  frequented  by 
thousands  of  the  mougiks.  Lent  terminates  the  public  di- 
versions, and  modifies  the  pleasures  of  the  courtiers.  Dur- 
ing the  great  fast,  which  is  regulated  by  the  movable  feast 
of  Easter,  and  continues  often  for  six  weeks,  the  Russians 
are  not  permitted  to  eat  flesh  or  fowl.  Even  the  use  of 
milk,  eggs,  butter,  and  the  like,  is  unlawful,  and  the  diet  of 
the  people  confined  to  vegetables,  bread,  oil,  and  fish.  The 
aristocracy,  however,  suffer  very  little  inconvenience,  inas- 
much as  they  are  provided  with  asparagus  and  lettuce,  pine- 
apples and  strawberries,  from  their  hot-houses  ; with  oysters 
from  Hamburg,  with  oil  from  Italy,  wine  from  France,  and 
fresh  salmon  from  the  Ladoga  Lake.  Commoners,  on  the 
other  hand,  support  life  with  black  bread  soaked  in  the  ran- 
cid oil  of  the  country,  a soup  of  cabbage,  and  immoderate 
drams  of  cheap  liquor.  Theatres  are  closed,  and  dancing 
is  prohibited  at  this  season.  The  principal  amusements  of 
the  higher  classes  consist  in  tableaux  vivans  and  concerts. 


158 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Many  of  the  best  musicians  in  Europe  are  heard  at  this 
time  in  St.  Petersburg.  In  1843  and  ’44,  the  exquisite  song 
of  Rubini,  and  the  brilliant  performances  of  Listz,  enrap- 
tured the  fasting  nobles.  Their  concerts  in  the  Salle  de  la 
Noblesse,  were  well  attended.  The  receipts  of  the  immorta1 
tenor,  on  one  occasion  alone,  were  estimated  as  high  as  ten 
thousand  dollars,  clear  of  all  expenses. 

The  entrance  of  the  allies  into  Paris,  is  also  celebrated 
during  Lent,  with  a great  musical  festival.  One  thousand 
vocal  and  instrumental  performers  make  much  noise  and  a 
fine  appearance.  They  executed,  with  great  applause,  the 
composition  of  Lvlof,— Bor  shoe  zara  hr  angle, — God  save 
the  Emperor.  Lvlof  is  the  chief  of  the  modern  school  of 
music  in  Russia,  He  was  permitted,  a few  years  since,  to 
serenade  their  majesties  with  his  new  national  air,  played 
by  a band  of  seven  thousand  performers  ; and  so  grateful 
was  the  melody  to  the  ear  of  majesty,  that  Lvlof  was  imme- 
diately made  a colonel  of  dragoons,  and  decorated  with  the 
ribbon  of  St.  Andrew.  Good-Friday  is  strictly  observed, 
perhaps  more  so  than  any  Sabbath  in  the  Russian  year. 
Every  place  of  business  is  closed,  and  all  betokens  a day  of 
rest.  Every  one  attends  some  place  of  worship,  and  Count 
Nesselrode,  who  is  a Protestant,  makes  his  annual  visit  to 
the  English  chapel,  and  receives  the  sacrament.  From 
Good-Friday  to  the  termination  of  Lent,  religious  ceremo- 
nies occupy  the  time  and  attention  of  the  people.  The 
evening  preceding  Easter,  the  Greek  churches  are  filled 
with  thousands  of  men  and  women,  each  one  having  a 
lighted  candle  in  one  hand,  and  a white  cake  made  of  curd 
in  the  other.  Many  prayers  are  said  by  the  excited  crowds, 
and  the  cakes  are  blessed  amidst  the  smell  and  smoke  of 


EASTER. 


159 


tallow,  until  the  hour  of  midnight,  when  the  cry,  “ Christ  is 
risen,5'  and  the  reply,  “He  is  risen  indeed,55  is  heard  on 
every  side.  Firing  of  cannon,  ringing  of  bells,  and  the 
illumination  of  the  city,  announce  the  advent  of  Easter  and 
the  termination  of  the  fast.  The  Russians  immediately 
give  themselves  up  to  the  most  dreadful  excesses.  Eating 
and  drinking,  debauchery  and  licentiousness,  succeed  to  ab- 
stinence, and  in  a few  days  the  hospitals  are  filled  with  the 
miserable  creatures,  whose  appetites  have  prompted  them 
to  consume  unwholesome  and  improper  food. 

The  gayety  of  the  aristocracy  is  restored  with  Easter. 
Balls  recommence ; theatres  are  reopened,  and  the  square 
of  the  Admiralty,  during  the  whole  of  Easter  week,  is  occu- 
pied with  shows,  ice  hills,  and  the  circus.  The  peasantry 
flock  to  this  place.  Great  bearded  fellows  are  seen,  like 
boys,  astride  the  flying  horses,  playing,  as  they  ride,  upon 
shrill  and  squeaking  pipes.  The  women,  in  sheepskins, 
amuse  themselves  with  childish  delight  in  swinging ; and 
the  whole  scene  is  a singular  exhibition  of  the  uncouth  sim- 
plicity of  the  common  Russians.  They  carry  in  their  bosoms 
a number  of  hard-boiled  eggs,  variously  colored  and  marked 
with  the  cross.  They  eat  large  quantities  of  these,  and 
when  they  meet  a friend,  they  present  him  one,  saying, 
“Christ  is  risen.55  The  friend  takes  the  egg,  and  replies, 
“ He  is  risen  indeed and  the  two  friends  then  embrace 
and  kiss  each  other  most  affectionately.  Every  day  the 
equipages  of  the  gentry  pass  in  procession  through  the 
show.  Thirty  court  carriages,  each  drawn  by  six  horses, 
and  filled  with  the  children  from  the  various  schools  under 
the  patronage  of  her  majesty,  increase  the  display  of  this 
the  Russian  Corso. 


160 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


About  Easter-week,  the  ice  fer  the  Neva  begins  to  move. 
As  soon  as  the  police  ascertain  that  this  is  the  case,  they 
forbid  any  one  to  cross  the  river.  Those  therefore  who 
happen  to  be  on  the  bank  opposite  to  that  on  which  they 
usually  reside,  are  obliged  to  wait  until  the  pontoon  bridge 
is  securely  placed,  or  until  the  boats  are  permitted  to  ven- 
ture, before  they  can  go  home.  Persons  are  often  de- 
tained in  this  way  three  or  four  days.  This  great  inconve- 
nience is  about  to  be  remedied  by  the  erection  of  a bridge, 
built  after  the  model  of  the  Southwark  on  the  Thames. 
Immense  masses  of  ice  many  feet  in  thickness,  run  down 
the  Neva  for  days  together  before  it  is  navigable.  The 
first  to  cross  is  the  governor  of  the  fortress,  who  brings 
with  him  a goblet  of  water  which  he  presents  to  the  Em- 
peror. His  majesty  drinks  the  water,  and  returns  the  gob- 
let filled  with  wine. 

Lights  are  extinguished  by  universal  consent  on  the  first 
of  May.  Night  ceases  to  exist  in  these  latitudes  at  this 
time,  and  the  lamps  and  lanterns  are  joyfully  laid  aside  for 
another  season. 

At  this  period  commence  the  parades  preparatory  to  the 
great  review  in  May,  when  the  Imperial  Guard  to  the  num- 
ber of  eighty  thousand  men,  chosen  from  the  millions  of 
the  empire,  appear  in  the  Field  of  Mars.  A tent  is  erected 
for  the  Empress,  and  the  young  dukes  Michael  and  Nicho- 
las, lads  of  twelve  and  fourteen  years  dressed  as  soldiers  of 
the  line,  but  looking  like  sulky  school-boys,  are  placed  as 
sentinels  to  guard  it.  His  majesty  attended  by  a brilliant 
staff  acts  as  aide-de-camp  to  the  Empress,  who  is  supposed 
to  be  generalissimo  on  the  occasion.  The  Grand  Duke 
Michael  and  the  Grand  Duke  Alexander  appear  as  chiefs 


REVIEWS. 


161 


of  division,  and  lead  the  whole  phalanx  to  the  place  of 
parade.  A band  of  music  is  stationed  near  the  tent,  and 
regiment  after  regiment,  whose  pace,  from  a quick  step  to 
a brisk  trot,  is  regulated  by  the  band  playing  slow  or  fast  as 
the  time  is  marked  by  the  hand  of  the  Emperor,  pass  on  in 
order.  Every  platoon  when  it  arrives  in  front  of  the  tent 
sends  forth,  as  with  the  voice  of  a giant,  the  Russian  ex- 
clamation for  “ my  beloved.”  The  men  in  every  company 
are  precisely  the  same  in  stature  and  appearance,  and  move 
as  one,  with  the  regularity  and  unity  of  machinery.  The 
dress  and  accoutrements  of  every  soldier  of  every  arm 
of  the  service,  appear  perfectly  new ; and  any  want  of 
neatness  in  this  particular  is  severely  punished.  Besides 
sixty  thousand  men  comprising  the  grenadiers  and  the  vari- 
ous regiments  of  infantry  of  the  Chevalier  Guard,  the  en- 
gineers, artillery,  sapeurs,  and  other  corps, — there  were 
twenty  thousand  horsemen,  finely  mounted,  and  presenting 
a spectacle  rarely  witnessed  in  a time  of  peace.  Cuiras- 
siers ; dragoons ; Polish  lancers ; Cossack  troopers ; Cal- 
muck  light-horse  ; and  the  Baskirs  in  blue  trimmed  with 
silver,  and  skull  caps  lined  with  fur,  and  armed  with  quivers, 
bows  and  yatagans,  follow  each  other  over  the  trembling 
earth.  There  is  also  a squadron  of  five  hundred  Circas- 
sians. These  are  the  hostages  of  tl^e  various  tribes  inhab- 
iting those  parts  of  Circassia  conquered  by  Russia.  They 
are  dressed  in  scarlet  cloth,  the  head  and  breast  being  cov- 
ered with  chain  armor.  Their  manner  of  riding  and  man- 
aging the  horse  is  very  much  like  that  of  the  American 
Indian. 

The  Russian  discipline  is  very  severe,  and  retains  many  of 
the  features  of  the  old-fashioned  and  fastidious  method  of  the 


162 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Prussians.  Drill  is  attended  with  the  same  precision  and  par- 
ticularity which  were  observed  by  the  Emperor  Paul.  Every 
morning  the  men  are  seen  upon  the  parade  grounds.  Files 
of  them  are  marclied  and  countermarched,  and  arrive  at  a 
regularity  of  movement  really  wonderful.  A sergeant  in 
front  and  another  behind  each  rank,  armed  with  canes, 
watch  every  deviation.  If  a foot  or  head  or  hand  is  an 
inch  out  of  the  line,  a severe  blow  falls  upon  the  offending 
member.  The  soldier  is  taught  to  carry  himself  erect,  and 
to  march  with  a stiffness  of  gait  forced  and  unnatural.  It 
seems  almost  impossible  for  him  to  withstand  any  great 
degree  of  fatigue.  The  same  remark  is  applicable  to  the 
horses  of  the  cavalry  regiments  of  the  guard.  Thousands 
of  beautiful  horses  are  broken  for  parade,  and  their  legs  are 
broken  into  the  bargain.  They  look  very  well,  but  are 
totally  unfitted  for  rough  work  or  an  active  campaign. 
This  is  the  opinion  of  many  an  intelligent  officer  of  the  cav- 
alry of  the  guard,  who  dares  venture  a remark  upon  the 
subject.  The  Imperial  Guard,  with  its  appointments  and 
decorations,  would  in  all  probability  break  down  in  active 
warfare  sooner  than  any  other  portion  of  the  Russian 
force. 

The  great  review  generally  closes  the  season  in  the  cap- 
ital. The  Emperor  then  leads  his  army  into  the  adjacent 
country  for  manoeuvres,  and  the  Empress  retires  to  Tsarsko- 
celo,  until  the  mid-summer  festivals  at  Peterhoff.  Soon 
after  the  opening  of  navigation  rain  falls  for  days  together 
upon  the  melting  snow,  and  the  streets  of  the  city  become 
almost  impassable  with  mud  and  water.  About  the  middle 
of  May  the  first  steamer  arrives  at  Cronstandt.  The  sun 
shines  warmly,  and  the  long  winter  is  over.  The  buds 


SPRING. 


163 


swell  slowly  upon  the  lindens.  The  tender  blade  of  grass 
peeps  cautiously  from  the  earth,  as  if  in  fear  of  the  yet 
chilly  wind  of  spring-time.  But  soon  the  days  increase  in 
length  and  brightness,  and  suddenly  the  trees  and  shrub- 
bery are  dressed  in  living  green. 


164 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Population  of  St.  Petersburg — The  Imperial  Family — Character  of  Nicholas 
— Difficulties  of  his  Position — Manners  of  the  Nobles — Their  Pecuniary 
Condition  and  Extravagance — Their  Political  Relations  and  Influence- 
Literary  Taste — Ladies  of  the  Court. 

We  have  attempted  to  describe  as  briefly  as  possible,  the 
climate,  appearance,  and  festivities  of  the  Russian  capi- 
tal ; and  at  the  risk  of  being  tedious,  we  venture  another 
chapter  on  the  general  condition  and  manners  of  its  popu- 
lation. 

St.  Petersburg,  for  many  years  after  its  foundation,  was 
peopled  principally  with  foreigners,  and  at  the  present  time, 
the  number  of  these  is  still  so  great,  and  the  influence  of 
foreign  habits  and  customs  so  predominant,  as  to  deprive  it 
in  very  many  respects  of  the  bold  and  distinctive  features 
of  Russian  nationality.  There  are  twenty  thousand  Ger- 
mans, five  or  six  thousand  French,  several  thousand  Swiss 
and  Italians,  many  thousand  English,  Swedes,  and  other 
people,  residing  in  the  city.  Sermons  are  preached  in 
twelve  different  languages.  It  is,  therefore,  impossible  to 
picture  with  any  degree  of  satisfaction,  the  heterogeneous 
customs  and  fashions  developed  in  such  a society.  Peter 
the  Great,  in  his  effort  to  civilize  the  country,  was  aware 
of  the  necessity  of  reforming  the  manners  of  the  nobles. 
He  had  noticed  when  abroad,  the  elegance  that  prevailed  in 


THE  IMPERIAL  FAMILY. 


165 


the  courts  of  France  and  Holland,  and  upon  his  return,  and 
notwithstanding  his  own  rudeness,  he  immediately  com- 
menced giving  lessons  in  politeness,  with  much  the  same 
spirit  he  taught  his  workmen  to  construct  docks  and  ships 
of  war. 

The  noblewomen  who  had  previously  lived  in  a seclu- 
sion almost  Asiatic,  were  ordered  to  appear  at  court,  and 
conduct  themselves  with  propriety  and  decorum.  They 
were  absolutely  forbidden  to  get  drunk  at  the  balls,  and  the 
gentlemen  were  to  remain  sober  at  the  Imperial  parties 
until  nine  o’clock.  It  was  also  ordered  that  the  guest  should 
bow  to  the  company,  on  coming  into  or  leaving  the  room, 
and  for  the  violation  of  this  rule,  the  delinquent  was  obliged 
to  drain  a large  bottle  of  common  brandy.  This  was  the 
foundation  of  the  etiquette  of  the  Russian  court  in  1720, 
and  the  progress  of  refinement  among  the  great  of  the  Em- 
pire has  certainly  been  most  satisfactory.  The  members 
of  the  Imperial  family  of  the  present  day,  are  as  accom- 
plished as  any  of  the  princes  of  the  age,  and  in  personal 
character,  so  far  as  the  world  can  judge  of  princes,  they 
are  as  correct  as  any  of  their  order  in  Christendom.  The 
Emperor  Nicholas  is  distinguished  over  all  his  predecessors 
for  domestic  virtues.  He  has  none  of  the  brutal  propensi- 
ties that  have  disgraced  the  memory  of  Constantine  : — none 
of  the  amiable  weaknesses  that  destroyed  the  usefulness  of 
Alexander.  The  ears  of  the  vulgar  are  always  open  to  re- 
ceive the  scandalous  stories  told  of  the  manners  of  their 
betters.  The  amours  of  a prince  are  the  subject  of  dis- 
course in  the  purlieus  of  every  palace,  and  St.  Petersburg 
abounds  with  most  ridiculous  tales  of  gallantries  of  the 
sovereign.  Notwithstanding  the  dangers  of  lese  majeste , 


166 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


it  is  even  whispered  that  the  Czar  is  troubled  with  occa- 
sional fits  of  insanity,  much  like  those  said  to  have  disturbed 
the  reason  of  his  father,  and  that  the  Grand  Duke  Heretier 
is  not  only  wanting  in  common  sense,  but  is  something  of 
an  idiot.  The  private  conversations  of  the  Imperial  family 
are  reported  with  magnetic  telegraphic  dispatch,  and  re- 
tailed by  the  gossips,  with  an  accuracy  that  reminds  one 
of  the  saying  of  the  great  Conde  to  the  Cardinal  de  Retz — 
“ Ces  coquins  nous  faut  parler  et  agir,  comme  ils  auraient 
fait  euxmemes  a notre  place.” 

The  on  dits  in  circulation  in  St.  Petersburg  respecting 
the  Emperor,  if  not  wholly  destitute  of  truth,  are  to  be  re- 
ceived with  caution.  There  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that 
the  private  conduct  of  the  monarch  is  not  only  divested  of 
the  avowed  and  shocking  immoralities  of  his  antecedents, 
but  that  it  is  far  better  than  that  of  contemporary  sovereigns. 
He  has  avoided  the  errors  that  in  former  times  filled  the 
palace  with  confusion,  and  in  this  respect,  has  set  an  exam- 
ple of  infinite  value  to  those  who  may  come  after.  He  is 
quick  and  passionate,  but  sincere  and  generous.  Proud  of 
his  position,  he  is  sensible  to  every  attack  upon  his  dignity, 
and  seeking  the  good  opinion  of  mankind,  it  is  his  wish  and 
his  endeavor  to  promote  the  glory  and  the  prosperity  of  the 
realm.  He  possesses  an  unusual  activity  of  mind  and  body. 
He  is  the  first  at  every  fire ; morning,  noon  and  night  he  is 
engaged  in  the  public  business,  brought  beneath  his  notice 
from  the  different  sections  of  the  various  departments.  His 
labors  are  Herculean,  but  his  task  is  greater  than  a Her- 
cules could  perform.  The  Augean  stable  was  not  a cir- 
cumstance compared  to  Russia.  Many  important  matters 
involving  the  safety  and  happiness  of  thousands,  are  neg- 


THE  NOBLES. 


167 


lected  in  the  multiplicity  of  details,  relating  to  the  forms 
and  ceremonies  of  no  earthly  consequence  in  any  other 
than  a despotic  country;  and  hence  it  is,  that  the  many 
atrocities  committed  by  unworthy  agents,  and  which  es- 
cape or  are  concealed  from  notice,  are  supposed  to  result 
from  his  immediate  authority.  But  such  is  not  the  fact. 
The  evils  that  afflict  the  people  and  the  country,  arise  not 
so  much  from  the  action  of  the  despot  as  frofn  the  nature 
of  the  despotism.  However  we  may  differ  respecting  par- 
ticular acts  of  public  policy  or  dislike  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  government,  we  must  not  permit  these  to  weaken 
a proper  estimate  of  the  ruler  and  the  man,  in  whatever 
situation  we  may  find  him. 

The  great  and  wealthy  nobles  of  the  capital,  most  of 
whom  have  travelled,  are  not  to  be  distinguished  in  out- 
ward aspect  from  the  most  refined  members  of  Parisian 
society.  We  have  already  spoken  of  their  magnificent  hos- 
pitality. Their  lives  and  fortunes  are  spent  in  dissipation. 
Their  manners,  free  from  the  open  depravity  of  former 
times,  are  still  licentious.  It  has  been  the  policy  of  the 
Czars,  to  encourage  the  extravagance  and  expenditure  of 
the  aristocracy,  with  a view  of  diminishing  with  their  reve- 
nues, whatever  influence  they  might  yet  retain.  Every 
facility  and  inducement  have  been  afforded  them,  to  mort- 
gage their  estates  for  ready  money.  The  serfs,  plate  and 
jewelry  of  many  an  ancient  family,  have  passed  through 
the  medium  of  the  banks,  into  the  possession  of  the  crown. 
The  Lombard  and  other  banks,  established  with  the  avowed 
purpose  of  giving  aid  to  noblemen,  have  swallowed  up 
within  the  last  sixty  years,  some  of  the  largest  fortunes  in 
the  country.  Cash  is  advanced  upon  all  articles  of  value 


168 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


given  in  pawn.  These  are  scarcely  ever  redeemed  by  the 
original  owner.  Landed  property  is  valued  by  the  banks 
according  to  the  number  of  souls  or  male  peasants  living 
upon  it.  The  price  of  the  serf  varies  in  different  parts  of 
the  Empire,  and  whether  he  is  worth  four,  or  five,  or  six 
hundred  roubles,  he  is  taken  by  the  Lombard  at  a fixed 
sum,  which  may  be  one-eighth  or  one-tenth  or  one-twelfth 
of  his  real  value.  If  the  interest  upon  the  money  advanced 
is  not  paid  within  a certain  time,  it  increases  at  the  rate  of 
one  per  cent,  a month,  and  if,  at  the  termination  of  a cer- 
tain number  of  months,  the  interest  and  a portion  of  the 
principal  be  not  refunded,  the  management  of  the  estate 
is  taken  from  the  owner,  and  the  estate  itself  ultimately  be- 
comes the  property  of  the  government. 

The  personal  and  political  consequence  of  the  old  nobles 
have  sustained  many  and  severe  trials  since  the  accession  of 
the  Romanoffs.  Those  who  claimed  descent  from  the  an- 
cient kings,  or  boasted  an  origin  somewhat  akin  to  the 
Czars  of  Moscovy,  have  been  treated  with  particular  con- 
tempt by  the  Imperial  dynasty,  and  experienced  in  peace, 
war,  and  revolution,  the  ill  treatment,  and  the  open  dislike 
of  a jealous  and  suspicious  sovereign.  They  have  been 
obliged  to  desert  their  estates,  leave  their  antique  and  be- 
loved capital,  and  follow  a court  where  they  have  found 
neither  fame  nor  favor.  The  confiscation  of  the  property 
of  those  who  were  betrayed  by  their  ambition,  the  constant 
debauchery  of  those  who  were  too  feeble  to  resist  tempta- 
tion, have  sadly  thinned  the  ranks  of  the  old  Russian  seign- 
eurs, during  the  last  century.  Those  of  great  wealth  who 
still  remain,  are  the  mere  gewgaws  of  the  Imperial  court, 
and  although  their  actions  and  motives  are  closely  scruti- 


CONDITION  OF  THE  NOBLES. 


1G9 


nized,  they  are  the  most  humble  subjects  of  the  Czar.  Some 
of  them  are  men  of  talent,  some  of  them  have  enlarged  and 
patriotic  views,  but  these  are  carefully  concealed.  Some 
of  them  have  never  seen  or  never  resided  upon  their  vast 
estates,  and  others  are  even  unacquainted  with  the  language 
of  their  country.  Easy,  amiable,  and  gay  in  manner,  in- 
sincere friends  and  accomplished  courtiers,  without  energy 
to  act,  and  without  a part  to  play,  the  old  Russian  aristoc- 
racy care  only  for  their  security,  and  to  this  end,  can  take 
the  shape  and  color  best  suited  to  the  calls  of  time  and  cir- 
cumstance. 

Those  great  nobles,  whose  patents  date  from  the  time  of 
Peter, — those  who  are  descended  from  the  favorites  or  the 
creatures  of  the  favorites  of  Catherine,  and  those  who  since 
her  time  may  owe  their  distinction  to  military  services,  are 
very  numerous,  generally  of  foreign  origin,  and  in  many  in- 
stances, immensely  wealthy.  They  have  been  provided 
with  estates  in  the  countries  acquired  by  recent  conquests. 
Siberia,  Livonia,  Finland,  Poland,  and  the  Crimea,  have 
been  divided  and  subdivided  among  them.  They  have 
acted  most  conspicuously  in  the  revolutions  of  the  palace, 
and  the  intrigues  of  the  court.  Not  only  the  successors  of 
the  Menchikoffs  and  Orloffs — not  only  the  sons  of  those 
renegades  who  betrayed  Sweden,  Finland,  and  Poland,  but 
the  families  of  the  very  men  who  figured  in  the  tragedy  that 
terminated  the  life  of  Paul,  are  the  principal  confidants  and 
companions  of  the  Emperor.  Their  experience,  their  se- 
crets, their  desperate  conduct  in  the  past,  have  secured 
them  safety  for  the  present  and  the  future.  There  are  nu- 
merous cliques  among  these  great  men  of  the  Russian  court. 
The  old  nobles  and  the  young  nobles,  princes  of  foreign  and 

8 


170 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


of  native  origin,  the  German  and  the  Russian  parties,  despise 
each  other  cordially.  Ministers  are  constantly  in  opposi- 
tion, and  many  anecdotes  are  told  of  their  mutual  jealousies. 
Prince  MenchikofF,  one  day  looking  from  the  window  of 
his  palace  upon  the  English  quay,  saw  Nesselrode  and  the 
great  banker  Steigiitz,  pass  each  other  with  profound  bows. 
“ Now  let  us  see,”  said  the  prince,  “ which  of  the  two  will 
condescend  to  turn  and  address  the  other,  for  they  cannot 
be  separated  long.”  They  looked,  and  Nesselrode  was  seen 
to  turn  and  follow  Steigiitz  with  a quickened  pace.  “ Ah,” 
said  the  minister  of  the  marine,  “money  is  the  magnet, — - 
who  can  resist  a Steigiitz.” 

Educated  in  the  language  of  the  French,  the  Russian 
nobles  imbibe  at  an  early  age,  a partiality  for  the  tastes, 
literature,  and  fashions  of  that  people.  But  as  the  studies 
of  the  young  lord  are  necessarily  confined  to  those  maxims 
which  are  not  supposed  to  come  in  conflict  with  the  princi- 
ples or  prerogatives  of  despotism,  the  educated  Russian, 
who  has  not  travelled,  or  been  enabled  in  any  other  way  to 
receive  more  substantial  lessons,  is  a superficial  scholar,  and 
rather  distinguished  for  his  wit  and  pliability  of  mind,  than 
for  his  attainments  in  sound  philosophy. 

The  Russian  ladies,  like  the  noblewomen  of  many  Eu- 
ropean countries,  who  are  bred  in  the  lap  of  luxury,  employ 
and  practise,  all  the  accomplishments  and  seductive  arts 
that  most  enchant  society.  They  have  much  vivacity  ol 
mind,  grace  of  manner,  and  display  the  most  exquisite  taste 
in  all  appertaining  to  dress.  The  charms  which  captivate 
and  the  amiable  qualities  that  win  the  admiration  of  the 
public,  are  not  however  certain  indications  of  private  worth 


RUSSIAN  LADIES. 


171 


or  private  happiness.  The  domestic  virtues  are  little  culti- 
vated or  little  known  in  Russia.  Marriage  is  a mere  matter 
of  convenience,  and  as  soon  as  the  children  of  a noble  house 
have  been  sent  as  hostages  to  one  of  the  schools  or  colleges 
under  the  control  of  the  government,  the  lord  and  lady  often 
become  estranged  in  their  affections.  Each  may  occupy 
their  separate  apartments,  and  keep  up  their  separate  estab- 
lishments. The  master  indulges  his  peculiar  tastes  and 
pleasures  without  reference  to  his  lady,  and  the  mistress 
gratifies  her  whims  and  wishes  without  interruption  from 
her  lord.  In  the  wealth  or  the  corruption,  the  ignorance  or 
the  destitution,  which  mark  the  divisions  of  aristocratic  so- 
ciety, marriage  is  oftentimes  the  point  where  female  virtue 
begins  or  ends.  The  Russian  mother  or  the  Russian  maid, 
the  first  of  noble,  the  last  of  servile  state,  will  equally  exem- 
plify the  depravity  of  these  extremes.  If  the  one  has  es- 
sayed legal  marriage  before  illicit  love,  the  other  has  known 
illicit  love  before  legal  marriage.  Wedlock  gives  license 
to  the  one  while  it  restrains  the  other,  and  the  princess  and 
the  peasant  girl,  though  they  differ  in  degree,  are  alike  the 
victims  of  the  same  errors — errors  which  have  their  origin 
as  well  in  the  extreme  corruption,  as  in  the  extreme  desti- 
tution of  society.  There  is  little  of  romance  in  the  char- 
acter or  conduct  of  the  Russian  lady.  Intrigue  and  sensu- 
ality, rather  than  sentiment  or  passion,  guide  her  in  her 
amours,  and  these  in  after  life,  are  followed  with  other  in- 
clinations. She  becomes  a greedy  gamester,  and  a great 
gourmande , gross  in  person,  masculine  in  views,  a shrewd 
observer  of  events,  an  oracle  at  court,  an  excellent  manager 
of  her  estates,  and  a tyrant  over  her  dependants.  There 


172 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


are,  of  course,  many  exceptions  to  this  rule.  Instances  of 
female  delicacy  and  refinement,  both  in  public  and  private 
life,  are  by  no  means  rare,  and  we  would  not  include  in  a 
general  delineation,  those  whose  correct  deportment  is  as 
conspicuous  as  it  is  worthy  imitation. 


PERSONAL  NOBILITY. 


173 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Inferior  orders  of  Nobility — Foreign  Employes — Domestic  Arrangements-” 
Dress — Military  Officers — Pay — Uniforms — Resorts. 

Besides  the  hereditary  nobility  of  Russia,  there  is  an  in- 
ferior order  of  personal  nobility,  originally  established  to 
subdue  the  consequence  of  the  former.  Personal  nobility 
is  acquired  in  various  ways.  By  the  nomination  of  the 
Emperor,  by  rank  in  army  or  navy,  or  by  promotion  to  cer- 
tain grades  in  the  civil  service.  A merchant  of  the  first 
guild  is  so  far  ennobled  as  to  be  at  liberty  to  drive  a car- 
riage and  four,  and  the  order  of  Stanislaus  confers  nobil- 
ity upon  a Catholic  priest  and  a Calmuck  soldier. 

The  great  body  of  those  whose  nobility  is  personal  and 
unattended  with  the  circumstance  of  wealth  and  birth,  is 
composed  of  a singular  assortment  of  individuals.  Writers, 
poets,  artists,  musicians,  actors,  professors,  and  people  of 
every  description,  may  step  by  step,  or  at  a single  bound, 
obtain  some  place  or  order  that  confers  the  title  of  Tchin- 
ovnick  or  man  of  rank.  There  are  men  of  merit  who  rise 
in  this  way ; there  are  persons  who  by  their  capacity,  or 
through  the  favor  of  a friend  at  court,  pass  up  to  this  dis- 
tinction ; — there  are  others  who  have  gained  it  by  intrigue 
— others  by  money, — others  by  accident ; and  all  look  for- 
ward to  the  tricks  and  turns  of  circumstance  for  their  fur- 
ther elevation.  For  a certain  number  of  years  of  active 


174 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


service,  for  an  improvement  in  agriculture,  for  taking  the 
flag  of  an  enemy,  for  a feat  in  battle,  for  saving  ten  lives, 
for  converting  an  hundred  heretics,  for  settling  ten  law- 
suits, for  vaccinating  three  thousand  people,  and  for  nu- 
merous other  services,  a decoration  may  be  obtained  in 
Russia.  It  is  not  unusual  to  find  foreigners  of  this  grade. 
The  German  who  was  a tailor  in  Hanover,  may  become  a 
professor  in  the  Academy  of  Sciences  ; the  Italian  who  car- 
ried an  organ  about  the  streets  of  Rome,  may  become  a di- 
rector of  music  ; the  Swiss  who  was  a confectioner  and 
constructed  pyramids  of  ice  and  padogas  of  pastry,  may  be 
made  an  imperial  architect ; the  English  inspector  of  a cot- 
ton mill  may  be  made  a general  of  engineers ; and  the 
Frenchman  who  arrived  as  a valet,  may  turn  tutor  to  no- 
blemen’s sons,  and  by  the  influence  of  noblemen’s  sons  find 
the  way  up  the  ladder,  and  receive  the  appointments  and 
title  of  a counsellor  of  state. 

In  consequence  of  the  dishonesty  or  stupidity  of  the  com- 
mon Russians,  almost  every  household  office  of  any  impor- 
tance is  filled  with  foreign  menials.  No  matter  how  igno- 
rant or  indifferent  these  may  be,  they  are  immeasurably 
superior  to  the  natives  in  intelligence,  and  readily  receive 
employment  and  good  pay.  St.  Petersburg,  indeed,  is  the 
asylum  of  all  the  discharged  valets  and  unfortunate  femmes 
de  chambre  of  the  continent.  It  is  also  the  last  resort  of 
most  of  the  decayed  actresses  and  old  grisettes  of  Paris,  who, 
under  the  most  romantic  names  of  the  old  regime,  often 
find  places  as  governesses  and  dames  de  compagnie  in  the 
most  aristocratic  houses.  The  high  wages  of  this  descrip- 
tion of  people,  and  their  familiarity  with  their  masters,  in- 
spire them  with  presumption,  and  awaken  an  ambition, 


DOMESTIC  ARRANGEMENTS. 


175 


which  if  skilfully  directed,  is  sure  to  secure  them  favor  and 
distinction.  Every  Russian  subject  of  sufficient  intelli- 
gence, aspires  at  least  to  become  a member  of  the  four- 
teenth class,  if  it  is  only  to  be  exempted  from  the  knout ; 
for  all  persons  from  the  first  to  the  fourteenth  degree,  are 
not  to  be  beaten  except  in  extraordinary  cases. 

Those  of  the  personal  nobles  who  are  not  received  at 
court,  exist  at  the  threshold  in  a sort  of  chrysalis  state,  hop- 
ing, with  some  change  or  chance  in  public  affairs,  to  be 
ushered  into  the  very  presence  of  majesty.  Many  of  these 
endeavor  to  imitate  the  style  and  splendor  of  the  grand 
seigneurs.  They  occupy  and  give  costly  entertainments, 
in  apartments  furnished  in  the  most  luxurious  fashion.  If 
the  means  which  enable  them  to  display  this  extravagance 
is  a mystery  to  the  gossips  of  the  capital,  the  stranger  from 
the  west  is  equally  mystified,  to  ascertain  that  there  are  no 
cabinets,  nothing  whatever  that  may  be  called  a bed-cham- 
ber or  boudoir,  attached  to  or  forming  part  of  the  magnifi- 
cent saloons  of  this  portion  of  the  aristocracy.  There  are 
dark  passages  leading  out  into  the  courts  and  stables  in  the 
rear  of  the  dwelling,  but  these  are  the  dormitories  of  the 
servants,  and  the  deposit,  the  winter  through,  of  the  col- 
lected filth  of  the  establishment.  The  occupants  of  the  sa- 
loons majr  be  princes  and  princesses,  or  simply  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  a certain  order.  They  make  their  own  tea 
and  toast,  receive  their  dinners  from  the  neighboring  trai- 
teur , and  when  they  give  an  entertainment,  they  send  for 
people,  who  polish  their  oak  floors  and  provide  a sumptuous 
supper.  When  the  company  retire,  the  more  prominent,  if 
not  the  more  important  items  of  dress  are  removed  ; a robe 
de  chambre  is  wrapped  about  the  person ; the  sofa  is  con- 


176 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


verted  into  a couch  of  repose,  and  the  heat  from  the  peet - 
dies , as  the  stoves  are  called,  make  bed-clothing  quite  super- 
fluous and  unnecessary. 

There  are  thousands  of  others  of  this  kind  of  aristocracy, 
who  have  lodgings  in  distant  suburbs,  or  rooms  within  the 
obscure  and  nasty  labyrinths  of  some  immense  building,  con- 
taining sometimes  as  many  as  four  thousand  inhabitants,  and 
from  which  they  emerge  in  their  uniforms  or  ribbons,  as  it 
may  be,  and  in  either  case  looking  as  prim  as  possible.  The 
present  Emperor  and  his  brother,  the  Grand  Duke  Michael, 
manifest  the  same  particularity,  if  not  the  same  taste,  as  the 
late  Emperor  Paul,  in  all  that  relates  to  the  cut  of  a uni- 
form and  the  adjustment  of  a decoration.  There  are  exiles 
at  this  time  in  Siberia,  who  owe  their  banishment  entirely 
to  some  defect  or  negligence  of  dress.  In  consequence  of 
this  severity,  the  officers  are  exceedingly  nice  in  external 
appearance  and  behavior.  Submissive  to  their  superiors, 
polite  to  their  equals,  and  dictatorial  to  their  inferiors, — liv- 
ing upon  a pay  that  scarcely  supplies  their  ordinary  wants, 
in  constant  fear  of  punishment,  or  constantly  hoping  for  re- 
ward, the  Russian  employe  resorts  to  all  the  expedients  that 
his  wits  and  varied  experience  can  suggest  to  support  ex- 
istence. The  Imperial  Guard,  the  elite  of  the  army,  is  prin- 
cipally officered  by  young  noblemen,  and  the  sons  of  those 
having  influence  at  court.  The  pay,  though  much  greater 
than  in  any  other  branch  of  the  service,  is  not  sufficient  to 
support  the  additional  expense  attending  the  outlay  for  the 
brilliant  uniforms  and  costly  fashions  of  the  capital.  The 
officers  are  therefore  expected  to  have  something  besides 
the  pay  to  depend  upon  for  support.  In  the  choice  regi- 
ments, particularly  those  of  the  Chevalier  Guard,  they  are 


OFFICERS. 


177 


men  of  fortune,  and  expend  large  sums  of  money  to  appear 
with  becoming  splendor.  But  those  who  have  no  private 
fortune,  often  resort  to  what  we  would  consider  dishonest 
and  dishonorable  means  to  maintain  appearances  and  pro- 
cure promotion. 

Of  the  forpier  class  of  officers,  two  or  three  frequently 
occupy  the  same  room,  and  are  often  in  the  coldest  weather 
unable  to  buy  fuel  to  make  a fire.  The  poor  officers,  within 
doors,  wear  their  slippers,  wrap  about  them  their  old  robes 
de  chambre  and  well-worn  wolfskins,  and  recline  upon  a 
dislocated  sofa,  that  serves  as  bed  and  bedstead.  An  old 
soldier  waits  upon  them,  fills  the  pipe,  buys  the  bread,  and 
makes  the  tea ; and  when  they  wish  to  sally  out,  either  for 
forage  or  parade,  the  same  old  soldier  opens  the  chest,  care- 
fully takes  out  the  uniform,  and  the  Russian  captains  step 
forth  as  sharp  and  as  brilliant  as  new  pins.  A major  in  this 
service  is  not  as  well  paid  in  money  or  in  rations  as  a pri- 
vate in  the  army  of  the  United  States.  A colonel  is  little 
better  off,  but  he  has  the  advantage  of  being  able  to  specu- 
late upon  the  appropriations  for  his  regiment ; he  suc- 
ceeds so  well  in  this,  as  to  be  able  to  live  with  considerable 
comfort,  and  even  to  display  a certain  splendor,  which  is 
known  to  every  one  about  him  to  be  far  beyond  the  reach  of 
his  official  income.  It  is,  indeed,  understood  that  the  officers 
in  the  Russian  service  are  permitted  by  the  government  thus 
to  maintain  themselves,  and  in  some  cases  they  are  author- 
ized to  do  so.  In  a note  respecting  the  commerce  of  Kamt- 
schatka,  Count  Nesselrode  remarks  that  “there  are  certain 
articles,  such  as  strong  liquors,  &c.,  of  which  the  importa- 
tion is  exclusively  reserved  for  the  benefit  of  the  officers  of 
the  marine,  and  the  employes  of  that  post.”  These  are  facts 


178 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


not  to  be  questioned,  and  yet  so  singular  and  perverse  are 
the  views  of  men,  that  the  very  people  who  know  all  this, — • 
the  very  officers  themselves,  whose  absolute  wants  expose 
them  to  the  worst  temptations, — will  express  great  surprise 
when  informed  that  the  President  of  the  United  States  is 
not  nearly  so  well  paid  as  the  Russian  ambassador  in  Lon- 
don, and  will  find  fault  with  what  they  are  pleased  to  con- 
sider the  meanness  of  a republican  government,  for  not 
furnishing  their  minister  with  a mint  of  money  to  squander 
about  the  court.  It  is  exceedingly  rich  to  see  a half-starved 
dependent  upon  a European  government, — a fierce  whisker- 
ando,  who  makes  half  his  dinner  upon  the  perfumes  that 
arise  from  the  kitchen  of  his  master, — a fellow  not  nearly  so 
well  provided  for  as  the  private  soldier  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  turn  up  his  nose  at  the  poverty  and  ingrati- 
tude of  democratic  citizens,  and  criticize  the  respectable  and 
comfortable  mode  of  life,  so  becoming  representatives  of  the 
republic  in  a foreign  land. 

A uniform  or  a decoration  never  fails  to  impress  the  com- 
mon Russian,  and  credit  is  given  to  the  officer  more  through 
fear  than  favor.  He  who  wears  a cocked  hat  and  plume, 
steps  into  a droskey  without  making  the  usual  bargain  for  the 
ride,  and  when  he  has  reached  his  place  of  destination,  he 
may  pay  one-half  the  legal  or  proper  fare,  and  the  driver 
will  receive  it  with  uncovered  head  and  all  humility.  After 
the  morning  parades  and  the  various  duties  at  the  various 
departments,  the  restaurants  are  filled  with  a crowd  of 
officials,  eating,  drinking,  and  talking.  A moderate  dinner 
is  finished  with  the  chibouque  which  the  servant  smokes  as 
he  takes  it  to  the  guest,  and  from  one  dirty  mouth  it  passes  to 
another  until  its  contents  are  consumed.  The  theatres,  club- 


DECORATIONS. 


179 


houses,  and  billiard-rooms  are  the  resort  of  these  people  in 
the  evening. 

Next  to  this  numerous  body  of  officers,  civilians,  and 
foreigners  who  compose  the  greater  part  of  the  personal  no- 
bibity,  come  the  soldiers,  servants,  shopkeepers,  and  others 
who  make  up  the  balance  of  the  population.  Immense 
barracks  contain  thousands  of  Russian  troops,  whose  ap- 
pearance is  always  good,  inasmuch  as  they  are  always  well 
clothed  and  well  shaved.  Many  of  them  wear  some  inferior 
order  of  decoration  given  for  long  and  meritorious  service. 
The  bearded  gentry, — the  Russian  merchant,  in  his  long 
blue  coat  and  colored  sash,  who  lives  in  a log-house  in  the 
suburbs, — from  him  of  the  first  guild  to  the  eunuch  who  is  a 
money-changer,  and  who  belongs  to  one  of  the  numerous 
sects  of  fanatics  springing  like  exhalations  from  the  ferment- 
ing mass  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  and  the  serf  in  his 
sheepskin,  who  lives  anywhere  or  in  any  manner,  terminate 
the  catalogue  of  the  different  people  of  St.  Petersburg. 


180 


THE  CZAR  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XIX, 

uly  in  St  Petersburg — Season  of  Travel — Journeys  of  the  Emperor — Visit 
to  the  Interior — Road  to  Moscow — Novogorod — Its  Rise,  Progress  and  De- 
cay— Ivan  the  Terrible;— Tribunal  of  Blood. 

St.  Petersburg  is  deserted  by  all  who  can  afford  to  leave 
it,  early  in  July.  Steamers  for  Lubec,  Stettin,  and  Havre, 
are  crowded  with  the  convalescent  aristocracy.  Crowds  of 
Germans  repair  to  Revel,  and  all  the  country-houses  in  the 
vicinity  are  filled  to  overflowing. 

About  this  season  the  Emperor  usually  visits  some  distant 
province  of  the  Empire  or  some  foreign  country.  In  the 
autumn  of  1843  he  went  to  Berlin,  and  on  his  return,  when 
in  the  vicinity  of  Posen,  he  left  the  main  road,  and  accom- 
panied by  Orloff,  departed  on  horseback  to  make  a detour 
and  visit  a veteran  officer  residing  in  a town  a few  miles 
away.  The  carriages  containing  his  suite  were  directed  to 
proceed  towards  Posen,  at  which  place  his  majesty  was  to 
arrive  the  following  day.  A few  hours  after  dark,  as  the 
escort  pursued  their  way,  a volley  of  musketry  was  fired 
into  the  imperial  coach  by  a body  of  armed  horsemen.  Af- 
ter the  discharge,  the  leader  in  a black  mask,  and  with  a 
lantern  attached  to  his  hat,  rode  up  and  looked  into  the  car- 
riage. Seeing  that  it  was  empty  and  that  he  had  failed  in 
his  object,  he  addressed  a few  words  to  his  companions  and 
dashed  off  at  full  speed.  Great  secrecy  has  ever  since  at- 


JOURNEY  TO  INTERIOR. 


181 


tended  the  movements  of  the  Emperor.  In  June,  1844,  it 
was  whispered  that  he  had  left  the  capital,  but  no  one  could 
tell  when  or  why.  Some  thought  he  had  gone  to  Moscow, 
some  to  Warsaw,  and  others  looked  wise  and  indulged  in 
mysterious  surmises.  It  was  known  that  the  Emperor  never 
sets  out  on  a journey  on  Mondays  or  Fridays,  as  such  a 
proceeding  is  considered  very  unlucky ; it  was  also  known 
that  he  always  starts  precisely  at  midnight,  and  that  if  any 
accident  occurs  on  the  way,  he  immediately  retraces  his 
steps  and  returns  home ; but  beyond  this,  nothing  could  be 
relied  upon  as  positive  until  the  French  and  English  papers 
brought  the  news  of  his  arrival  in  England. 

Glad  to  escape  from  the  dull  and  dusty  city  for  the  sum- 
mer, we  accepted  the  invitation  of  a gentleman  holding  a 
distinguished  position  at  the  Imperial  court,  to  accompany 
him  and  a Kentucky  friend  to  the  interior  of  the  country. 
We  did  not  follow  the  Russian  custom  and  set  out  at  mid- 
night. The  morning  was  far  gone  when  Laronne,  the  courier, 
informed  us  that  all  was  ready  for  our  immediate  departure. 
We  descended  to  the  court-yard,  and  it  must  be  confessed 
that  the  four  miserable  animals  standing  all  abreast,  and  har- 
nessed to  the  vehicle  with  bits  of  rope,  and  the  bareheaded 
driver,  with  an  enormous  beard  and  a dirty  sheepskin  coat, 
did  not,  at  the  outset,  promise  much  for  speed  or  comfort. 
After  a little  hesitation  and  an  anxious  glance  to  see  that  all 
was  right,  we  entered  the  carriage.  Laronne  took  his  seat 
with  the  driver,  and  off  we  went  through  the  long  suburb 
leading  to  the  barrier.  Here  the  sentry  on  duty  took  the 
passports.  These,  being  special,  were  instantly  returned, 
and  the  long  tri-colored  beam,  balanced  on  a pivot  stretch- 
ing across  the  road,  was  raised  by  a chain  held  by  a soldier, 


182 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


and  we  passed  out  upon  the  straight,  broad  highway  leading 
to  Moscow. 

Until  within  a few  years,  the  journey  to  the  latter  city 
was  almost  impracticable  in  the  summer  time,  on  account 
of  the  condition  of  the  roads.  At  this  time,  a chausee  of 
great  width,  and  in  admirable  order,  connects  the  two  capi- 
tals. At  intervals  of  two  or  three  miles,  there  are  small  and 
neatly-painted  houses,  called  Kazarms,  which  are  occupied 
by  the  soldiers  employed  in  making  repairs.  The  rivers 
and  water-courses  are  traversed  by  bridges  of  granite,  hav- 
ing iron  parapets  ornamented  with  golden  eagles.  Small 
columns  of  dark  marble,  with  the  initial  of  the  Emperor, 
mark  the  number  of  versts.  Stone  benches  placed  at  proper 
distances,  beneath  the  linden  trees,  afford  rest  and  shelter  to 
the  pedestrian.  This  great  highway  was  constructed  by  the 
direction  of  the  present  Emperor,  and  together  with  the 
railroads  now  being  made,  entitle  him  to  more  credit  than 
any  public  work  of  all  his  predecessors,  since  the  time  of 
Peter  the  First.  Catherine  the  Second  projected  a road  to 
Moscow;  but  all  that  was  useful,  all  she  ever  planned  or 
promised,  was  only  to  deceive,  and  never  to  bo  perfected. 
She  could  lavish  her  treasures  upon  the  palaces  of  her  lovers, 
and  build  monuments  to  commemorate  the  name  of  a fav- 
orite dog,  but  nothing  did  she  expend  for  the  benefit  of  her 
country.  Catherine,  indeed,  founded  two  hundred  and  forty 
towns.  During  the  tour  of  the  Emperor  Joseph  the  Second, 
of  Austria,  in  the  Crimea,  he  was  invited  by  her  to  lay  the 
second  stone  of  a town,  of  which  she  had  already  laid  the 
first.  On  his  return,  Joseph  remarked  that  “ he  had  finished 
in  a single  day  a very  important  business  with  the  Empress 


ROAD  TO  MOSCOW. 


163 


of  Russia.  She  has  laid  the  first  stone  of  a city,  and  I have 
laid  the  last/’ 

The  Emperor  Nicholas  was  travelling  upon  this  chausee, 
a few  days  previous  to  our  journey,  and  when  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Moscow,  he  remarked  that  he  met  very  few 
carriages  or  carts.  The  Yemshick,  or  driver,  informed  him 
that  the  officers  having  charge  of  the  road,  for  some  reason 
or  other,  had  forbidden  the  common  people  to  travel  upon 
it,  and  had  ordered  them  all  to  go  round  by  the  country 
road.  Surprised  at  the  arbitrary  conduct  of  his  subordi- 
nates, his  Majesty  directed  the  Yemshick  to  take  him  also 
upon  the  common  country  road.  This  w7as  in  a very  bad 
condition,  so  much  so,  that  the  imperial  conveyance  soon 
broke  down.  The  Emperor,  thereupon,  ordered  the  whole 
corps  of  officers  superintending  the  road,  including  a general 
of  engineers,  to  be  taken  to  Moscow  and  incarcerated. 

Soon  after  wTe  cleared  the  barrier,  our  bearded  Jehu,  by 
dint  of  whipping,  jerking  and  scolding,  succeeded  in  putting 
his  sorry  nags  into  a gallop,  and  we  passed  over  the  ground 
at  the  rate  of  eight,  nine,  and  sometimes  ten  miles  an  hour. 
The  country  in  every  direction  about  St.  Petersburg  is, 
with  little  exception,  a complete  swamp.  To  the  eastward 
for  one  hundred  miles,  it  is  almost  an  unbroken  wilderness. 
There  are,  indeed,  a few  small  towrns  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  the  capital,  which  are  superior  in  appear- 
ance to  any  in  the  Empire.  They  are  neatly  built,  and  in 
some  instances  so  nice,  and  even  so  pretty  in  appearance, 
and  upon  a holiday  so  thronged  with  peasantry  in  bright 
costumes,  as  to  lead  one  who  went  no  farther,  and  did  not 
know  that  these  were  the  fancy  patterns  for  imperial  vil- 
lages, to  suppose  that  the  Russians  really  resembled  the 


184 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


people  of  the  Tyrolean  valleys  in  the  style  of  their  habita- 
tions, and  the  gay  colors  of  their  habiliments.  But  the 
villages  are  all  situated  upon  the  high  road.  Beyond  them 
and  around  them,  stretch  far  away  the  morass  and  forest, 
which  cover,  as  they  did  of  old,  the  whole  extent  of  country 
along  the  north-eastern  shores  of  the  Baltic. 

As  we  passed  onward,  the  road  was  bounded  on  either 
side  by  the  dense  woodland,  with  here  and  there  a clearing 
and  a log-house,  such  as  is  seen  in  the  high  pine  lands  of 
New  Hampshire.  The  province  of  Ingria,  now  forming  the 
government  of  St.  Petersburg,  is  very  thinly  populated. 
Without  counting  the  inhabitants  of  the  capital,  it  probably 
contains  less  than  eighty  to  the  square  mile,  and  the  large 
majority  of  these  consist  of  people  of  Finnic  origin,  who, 
from  the  earliest  period  of  history,  have  occupied  the  regions 
extending  along  the  Baltic,  from  the  Vistula  to  the  Arctic 
Ocean,  where  they  appear  in  the  tribes  of  Siberia  and  Lap- 
land.  From  the  government  of  St.  Petersburg,  we  passed 
into  that  of  Novogorod,  and  after  a ride  of  twenty  hours, 
we  reached  Novogorod  Weliki — or  New  Town  the  Great. 
We  drove  up  to  the  inn,  and  entered  in  expectation  of  com- 
fort and  repose.  The  filth  and  stench  forced  us  to  retreat. 
We  made  our  ablutions  in  the  court-yard,  and  breakfasted 
in  the  carriage,  to  the  surprise  of  a number  of  Russian  trav- 
ellers, who  gazed  from  the  windows  of  the  dirty  tavern. 

There  is  little  to  see  in  Novogorod  the  Great,  except  ruin 
and  desolation.  Nowhere  in  Russia  is  there  so  dismal  a 
town  as  this ; and  in  Russia,  where  all  is  new,  a city  in 
decay  is  particularly  striking.  This  city,  the  seat  of  the 
Slavi,  or  the  children  of  glory,  was  the  capital  of  a powerful 
state  before  the  ninth  century  of  our  era.  The  date  of  its 


THE  SLAVE 


185 


foundation  is  unknown.  The  old  Russian  historians  assert 
that  Novogorod  was  a flourishing  capital  before  the  Slavo- 
nians entered  the  country  and  subjugated  the  Finns,  who 
were  then,  as  now,  the  principal  inhabitants  of  this  district. 
From  the  ruins  and  records  that  have  been  found  in  Permia, 
it  is  supposed  that  a great  Finnic  empire,  comprehending 
all  the  country  between  the  Ural  mountains  and  the  White 
Sea,  and  between  the  Dwina  and  the  Volga,  existed  at  a 
period  anterior  to  the  invasion  of  the  Slavonic  tribes.  The 
Icelandic  historians  allude  to  the  wealth,  commerce,  and 
civilization  of  this  empire,  even  after  the  Slavi  had  taken 
possession  of  the  provinces  to  the  westward  of  the  Volga. 
The  Persians  and  the  Armenians,  as  early  as  the  ninth  cen- 
tury, carried  their  merchandise  across  the  Caspian,  ascended 
the  Volga  to  the  town  of  Permia,  and  there  bartered  for  the 
furs  brought  from  the  Frozen  Sea  beyond.  That  the  Per- 
mians  traded  with  India,  is  attested  by  Arabic  coins  and 
monumental  inscriptions.  Their  country  was  visited  by  the 
Scandinavian  mariners,  as  is  shown  by  the  sagas  of  the 
north.  The  accounts  which  were  given  of  immense  riches 
contained  in  their  temples,  excited  the  cupidity  of  the  Nor- 
wegian sea-kings,  and  fleets  of  corsairs  went  to  their  coun- 
try in  search  of  booty.  In  the  course  of  the  piratical 
excursions  of  the  Northmen,  it  seems  probable  that  Novo- 
gorod, or  New  Town,  the  city  of  the  Slavi,  already  flourish- 
ing upon  the  ruins  of  the  one  that  had  preceded  it,  first 
attracted  their  attention ; and  equally  with  the  rich  towns 
of  Permia,  w^as  exposed  to  their  attacks ; — for  we  find  the 
Varangian  Rossi,  a Scandinavian  people,  in  possession  of  the 
shores  of  the  Baltic,  and  contending  with  the  Slavi,  about 
the  same  period  the  sea-kings  were  making  their  inroads 


18G 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


upon  the  Permicans  of  the  north.  The  Slavi  of  Novogorod 
were  completely  subjugated  by  the  Varangian  Rossi,  and  for 
the  first  time  the  name  of  Russ,  or  Russian, — probably  de- 
rived from  the  appellation  of  the  conquerors, — appears  in 
history.  Ruric,  a bold  and  dauntless  chieftain,  led  his  victo- 
rious bands  to  Novogorod,  established  himself  in  the  coun- 
try, and  was  the  founder  of  the  Russian  monarchy. 

However  important  Novogorod  may  have  been  as  a re- 
publican and  commercial  city  previous  to  the  time  of  Rusic, 
it  was  not  until  after  its  occupation  by  his  warlike  race, 
that  it  assumed  the  consequence  of  a warlike  state.  The 
successors  of  Ruric  conquered  various  provinces  from  dif- 
ferent tribes  of  the  Finns  and  the  Slavi, — the  main  stems  of 
the  present  population  of  Russia, — and  in  time  both  Permia 
and  Kief  acknowledged  the  supremacy  of  the  Russo  Slavonic 
kings.  The  descendants  of  the  Varangian  soldiers,  by  no 
means  satisfied  with  the  possession  of  the  fiefs  with  which 
they  were  rewarded,  and  still  thirsting  for  adventure,  de- 
scended the  Borysthenes  to  the  Euxine,  and  under  the 
walls  of  Constantinople  gave  rise  to  the  singular  prediction, 
centuries  before  the  appearance  of  the  Turks,  that  the  Rus- 
sians, in  the  last  days,  would  be  the  masters  of  the  city  of 
Constantine  the  Great.  From  the  capital  of  the  then  declin- 
ing empire  of  the  west,  these  warlike  bands  returned  load- 
ed with  spoil,  and  it  was  during  the  subsequent  and  more 
friendly  intercourse  with  the  Greeks,  that  they  adopted  the 
Grecian  rites  and  received  the  Grecian  letters. 

The  code  of  Varoslof,  a prince  of  Novogorod,  in  the 
eleventh  century,  was  the  first  series  of  written  laws  that 
appeared  in  Russia.  Beneath  their  influence,  Novogorod 
maintained  its  municipal  freedom  for  nearly  four  hundred 


NOVOGOROD. 


187 


years.  It  withstood  triumphantly  the  invasion  of  the  Tar- 
tars. Its  gates  were  of  solid  brass.  Its  great  bell  tolled  for 
the  public  assembly  of  the  citizens.  It  became  a member  of 
the  Hanseatic  league.  The  commerce  of  the  east  was  di- 
verted from  Permia,  and  the  silks  and  spices  of  Persia  and 
Arabia  were  conveyed  to  Novogorod.  They  were  sent 
thence  by  river  and  lake  in  summer,  or  on  the  hard  level 
of  the  ice  and  snow  in  winter,  to  Revel,  or  some  other 
port  upon  the  Baltic,  whence  they  were  shipped  to  Wisby, 
Lubec,  or  Hamburg,  and  diffused  through  western  Europe. 
In  the  fifteenth  century,  Ivan  the  Third,  Grand  Duke  of 
Moscow  and  first  of  the  Czars,  conquered  Novogorod.  On 
the  fifteenth  of  January,  1478,  the  national  councils  'were 
dissolved,  and  a few  days  after,  three  hundred  cart-loads  of 
gold,  silver,  and  precious  stones,  were  conveyed  to  Moscow. 
In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  still  contained 
four  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  At  this  period,  Ivan 
the  Fourth  of  Moscow,  pretending  to  have  discovered  a 
conspiracy,  went  in  person  to  Novogorod,  and  erected  the 
tribunal  of  blood.  On  each  day  for  five  weeks,  more  than 
five  hundred  inhabitants  were  the  victims  of  his  despotic 
fury.  The  streets  were  filled  with  sixty  thousand  of  the 
dead  and  dying ; — the  houses  were  all  pillaged,  and  the  ad- 
jacent country  laid  waste  by  the  soldiery.  This  dreadful 
disaster,  and  the  oppression  and  persecution  that  succeeded, 
greatly  diminished  the  prosperity  of  the  city.  The  subse- 
quent foundation  of  St.  Petersburg  completely  ruined  its 
commerce,  and  the  present  population  scarcely  amount  to 
seven  thousand.  The  brick  walls  and  detached  buildings, 
in  the  midst  of  wreck  and  ruins,  are  falling  fast,  and  in  a 


188 


THE  CZAR.  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


few  more  years  will  have  crumbled  into  dust  and  disap- 
peared. The  language  of  the  Slavi  has  yielded  to  another 
dialect,  and  the  very  name  of  Slavi,  signifying  glory,  gives 
to  the  freemen  of  the  west  the  name  for  slave. 

“ Who  can  resist  God  or  Novogorod  the  Great  V* 


INTERNAL  IMPROVEMENT. 


189 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Improvements  of  Peter — Woodlands — The  Valdai  Hills — Bridges — Wages  and 
Workmen — Twer — Inns — Approach  to  Moscow. 

Leaving  this  melancholy  scene,  we  crossed  the  Vol- 
chowa,  near  the  outlet  of  Lake  Ilmen,  whose  broad  bosom 
once  harbored  the  fleets  of  the  ancient  city.  The  early  im- 
portance of  Novogorod  as  a commercial  depot,  and  the  ad- 
vantages it  derived  from  the  trade  and  transit  between  the 
East  and  West,  does  not  appear  to  have  escaped  the  notice 
of  Peter  the  Great.  This  circumstance  may  perhaps  have 
influenced  him  in  the  conquest  of  the  Baltic  provinces,  and 
in  the  selection  of  the  site  of  his  capital.  One  of  his  first 
measures,  immediately  after  the  foundation  of  St.  Peters- 
burg, was  the  improvement  of  the  chain  of  water  communi- 
cation between  the  Baltic  and  the  Caspian.  The  Volga, 
the  Twertza,  and  the  Msta  rivers,  were  connected  by  a 
series  of  canals  with  the  Ilmen  Lake ; and  the  Volchowa, 
the  outlet  of  the  latter,  near  which  stood  Novogorod,  was 
rendered  navigable  for  barges  to  the  Ladoga,  from  whence 
they  descended  the  Neva  to  St.  Petersburg.  Thus  was  the 
flow  of  commerce  facilitated  through  this  immense  extent 
of  country.  But  it  no  longer  centered  in  Novogorod. 
Passing  beneath  the  walls  of  the  old  metropolis,  it  went  on- 
ward through  an  uninterrupted  channel  to  the  new  capital, 


190 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


which  has  inherited  and  secured  the  trade  of  the  vast  em- 
pires of  western  Asia. 

The  country  beyond  Lake  Ilmen,  presented  the  same 
sterile  and  wild  appearance  as  that  we  had  already  seen. 
It  is  covered  with  extensive  forests  of  pine,  fir,  and  white 
birch  of  recent  growth.  The  pine  and  fir  are  employed  in 
building,  and  the  birch  is  cut  for  firewood.  These  thick 
woodlands  are  infested  with  wolves  which  are  frequently 
seen  upon  the  road,  and  which  sometimes  attack  the  travel- 
ler. Bears  and  other  wild  animals  are  found  in  the  more 
inaccessible  parts.  The  cleared  and  cultivated  lands  of  this 
district,  yield  but  a poor  return  to  the  proprietors.  Rye 
and  oats  are  the  principal  productions.  Wheat  is  a pre- 
carious crop,  on  account  of  the  late  frosts,  and  the  exces- 
sive humidity  of  the  soil. 

The  great  high  road  was  crowded  with  caravans  of 
talegas,  loaded  with  merchandise  and  travellers.  We 
were  frequently  entangled  among  droves  of  thousands  of 
the  large,  long-horned,  dun-colored  oxen,  from  the  plains  of 
the  Ukraine,  which  were  being  taken  to  St.  Petersburg. 
The  trade  and  travel  between  Moscow  and  the  modern 
capital  is  very  great,  and  will  prove  a source  of  immense 
profit  to  the  government,  when  the  railroad  is  completed. 

As  we  progressed,  we  reached  the  Valdai  hills,  and  com- 
menced the  ascent  of  the  highest  ground  in  European  Rus- 
sia. These  hills  rise  only  thirteen  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea,  extend  a considerable  distance  to  the  east  and  west,  and 
from  the  gradual  rise  on  one  side,  to  the  extreme  depression 
of  the  other,  they  may  be  about  thirty  miles  in  width.  In- 
significant as  they  really  are,  they  do  make  something  of  an 
appearance  in  the  surrounding  plain.  Extra  horses  were 


THE  VALDAI  HILLS. 


191 


attached  to  the  vehicle,  to  overcome  these  formidable 
heights,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  say,  we  went  up  on  a 
gallop,  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  difficulties  or  the  dangers  of 
the  ascent.  From  the  Valdai  hills  and  the  lofty  table  lands 
around  them,  the  Volga,  the  Dwina,  and  the  Dnieper,  take 
their  rise,  and  flowing  along  the  imperceptible  inclination 
of  the  great  plains  which  they  drain  and  irrigate,  fall  into 
the  Caspian,  the  Clack,  and  the  Baltic  Seas.  After  the  oc- 
cupation of  Moscow  by  the  French,  the  Emperor  Alexan- 
der retreated  to  these  highlands,  with  the  determination  of 
making  his  last  great  effort  for  the  preservation  of  the  mon- 
archy. This  circumstance  has  given  to  the  Valdai  a cer- 
tain historic  interest.  The  lovers  of  the  romantic  have  also 
discovered  something  exceedingly  picturesque  in  the  peas- 
antry of  the  hills.  The  men  who  manufacture  the  little 
bells  which  are  fixed  to  the  collars  of  the  horses,  are  sup- 
posed to  be  as  musical  as  mountaineers  in  general,  and  the 
maidens  who  sell  little  round  biscuits  to  the  passing  travel- 
ler, have  the  reputation  of  being  quite  as  pretty  as  Alpine 
maids  can  be.  Therefore  have  the  Valdai  been  called  the 
Switzerland  of  Russia. 

Leaving  the  hills  and  passing  several  unimportant  towns, 
we  reached  Vishney  Volotchok,  a place  of  some  trade,  sit- 
uated upon  the  canal  that  connects  the  rivers  Twertza  and 
Msta.  We  passed  the  latter,  over  a very  handsome  stone 
bridge,  that  had  recently  been  constructed.  This  bridge  is 
eight  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  in  length ; was  three 
years  in  building,  and  cost  three  hundred  and  sixty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  bridge  over  the  Connecticut  river  has 
six  arches ; is  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  feet  long ; cost  one 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  was  finished  in 


192 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


one  year.  The  wages  of  labor  in  the  United  States  are 
many  times  greater  than  they  are  in  Russia,  and  the  cost 
of  materials  is  about  the  same  in  both  countries.  But  the 
American  does  at  least  five  times  the  work  of  the  Rus- 
sian, and  by  means  of  assistance  derived  from  improved 
tools  and  machinery,  and  greater  mechanical  skill,  the 
bridge  of  the  American  is  nearly  completed  before  the 
Russian  has  fairly  commenced  his  labor.  Besides,  all 
works  of  this  kind,  in  Russia,  originate  with  and  are  con- 
structed by  the  government.  This  may,  to  some  extent, 
account  for  the  difference  in  the  cost ; for  that  upon  the 
Connecticut  was  the  result  of  private  enterprise,  accom- 
panied with  a careful  and  economical  expenditure,  while 
that  on  the  Msta  was  a public  work,  and  attended  with 
the  extravagance  and  waste  incident  to  public  works  of 
other  and  more  enlightened  governments. 

We  pursued  our  journey  upon  the  causeway,  running 
in  a straight  line  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  and  mark- 
ing the  interminable  and  dreary  plain,  which  on  either  side 
stretched  away  to  the  horizon,  with  a monotony  irksome 
and  unpleasant.  We  passed  for  many  miles  through  the 
forest,  and  again  for  many  miles  through  the  fields.  Field 
and  forest  succeeded  each  other  at  intervals,  and  each 
presented  the  same  silent  and  uninteresting  picture.  The 
Kazarms,  the  carriages,  the  herds  of  cattle,  the  villages, 
were  all  the  same,  and  for  days  we  travelled  without  a 
break  in  the  dull  uniformity  of  the  scene.  The  road  as 
usual  was  thronged,  but  it  was  with  the  same  ceaseless  and 
unvarying  multitude,  and  off  the  road  all  was  silent  as  the 
grave.  The  breeze  sighed  through  the  branches  of  the 


TWER. 


193 


graceful  pine,  but  no  sound  of  bird  or  beast  came  to  us 
from  the  woodland. 

At  Torjak  we  lingered  awhile  at  the  Pojarsky  hotel,  the 
best  public  house  we  saw  in  Russia,  to  taste  the  cutlets  for 
which  this  town  is  renowned  in  Russia,  and  thence  pushed 
on  for  Twer,  the  capital  of  the  province  of  the  same  name. 
Twer  is  admirably  situated  on  both  sides  the  Volga,  at  the 
influx  of  the  river  Twertza.  It  is  a neat  well-built  town,  and 
was  occupied  by  a detachment  of  the  French  army  during 
the  invasion  of  1812.  When  the  successors  of  Ruric  divi- 
ded the  country  into  great  fiefs  or  dukedoms,  T wer  became 
the  residence  of  the  chiefs  of  the  surrounding  territory. 
In  the  course  of  time  the  government  of  Russia  devolved 
upon  the  princes  of  Twer,  and  gave  to  their  city  a degree 
of  political  importance  that  excited  the  jealousy  of  the 
dukes  of  Moscow,  before  whose  power  it  finally  fell,  and  to 
whose  dominions  it  was  attached  forever. 

The  inns,  or  rather  the  imperial  post-houses  between  St. 
Petersburg  and  Moscow,  are  kept  by  Germans,  and  afford 
better  entertainment  than  is  found  upon  any  road  in  the 
empire.  They  are  large,  and  furnished  in  the  dirty  mag- 
nificent style  of  Russia.  The  ceilings  are  covered  with 
queer-looking  frescoes,  and  the  tawdry  ornaments  are  funny 
and  forlorn  beyond  description.  Every  public  room  con- 
tains a portrait  of  the  Emperor,  for  whose  use  the  princi- 
pal apartments  are  reserved.  These  are  never  opened  ex- 
cept for  his  accommodation,  and  are  always  closed  imme- 
diately after  his  departure.  The  traveller  may  enter  the 
hall  and  rest  upon  the  hair  sofas,  or  may  go  into  the  restau- 
rant, and  seek  whatever  refreshment  he  can  find  in  the 

0 


194 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


nauseous  compounds  with  which  he  will  be  served  by  the 
greasy  garcons  of  the  establishment. 

Again  we  crossed  the  Volga,  and  passing  onward,  left  the 
government  of  Twer,  and  entered  that  of  Moscow.  The 
face  of  the  country  was  much  the  same,  except  that  the 
forests  seemed  less  extensive  and  the  villages  more  numer- 
ous as  we  advanced.  Hour  after  hour  passed  away,  but 
we  saw  nothing  that  told  of  our  approach  to  the  far-famed 
city.  The  late  twilight,  succeeding  the  long  summer  day, 
again  obscured  the  road,  and  midnight  was  approaching 
when  the  turrets  of  the  palace  of  Petrofskoi  were  in  sight. 
We  saw  by  the  dim  light  the  fantastic  towers  and  walls  of 
the  suburban  castle,  to  which  Napoleon  retreated  from  the 
burning  Kremlin ; we  passed  the  adjoining  gardens  and 
reached  the  gates  of  Moscow.  Our  passports  were  taken 
and  returned.  In  a few  minutes,  and  after  a few  more  jolts 
and  bounces,  we  landed  in  the  court-yard  of  the  Hotel  de 
France.  In  three  days  and  a half  we  had  passed  over  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  versts  or  five  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  miles,  and  it  was  with  no  little  satisfaction  we  left  the 
carriage  to  luxuriate  in  the  bath,  to  eat  with  appetite,  and 
to  sleep  unconscious  of  the  terrors  of  the  Russian  couch. 


MOSCOW. 


195 


CHAPTER  XXL 

Moscow — Its  Foundation — The  Kremlin — Ivan  the  Great — Church  of  St. 
Basil — Ivan  the  Terrible — Peter  the  Great — Merchants  of  Moscow — The 
Holy  Gateway — View  from  the  Kremlin — Church  of  St.  Michael — Tombs 
of  the  Czars — Images  of  the  Virgin — Regalia. 

Moscow  is  supposed  to  have  been  founded  in  the  early 
part  of  the  fourteenth  century!  A romantic  legend  re- 
lieves the  uncertainty  attending  its  first  settlement.  Once 
upon  a time,  a chieftain  of  the  Slavi  lived  in  a castle 
upon  the  banks  of  the  Moskwa.  His  broad  domains 
reached  far  and  wide  on  every  side.  His  valor  and  his 
birth  were  alike  conspicuous,  but  more  than  all,  was  the 
beauty  of  his  bride  renowned.  Her  hair  was  like  the 
raven’s  wing;  her  forehead  like  polished  alabaster.  The 
red  and  white  roses  contended  for  the  mastery  upon  her 
cheek,  and  invited  the  intervention  of  a kiss.  The  vi- 
vacity of  her  dark-blue  eye  betrayed  every  emotion  of  the 
heart.  Her  mouth  when  closed  was  like  a ruby,  and  her 
teeth  like  pearl.  The  report  of  this  exceeding  loveliness 
extended  throughout  the  realm,  and  reached  the  ear  of  a 
Grand  Duke  of  Russia.  The  curiosity  of  the  latter  was 
excited,  and  unable  to  resist  his  desire  to  behold  the 
princess,  he  ordered  the  lord  and  his  lady  to  attend  the 
court.  The1  chieftain  fearing  some  design  upon  his  hap- 
piness, neglected  to  obey.  He  was  soon  after  assassinated 
by  the  emissaries  of  the  Duke.  The  beautiful  Agaphia, 


196 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


for  so  we  will  call  the  princess,  shut  herself  up  in  the 
castle,  and  refused  to  be  consoled.  The  Grand  Duke, 
struck  with  remorse,  repaired  to  the  Moskwa,  to  sym- 
pathize with  the  injured  lady  ; but  finding  she  was  not  to 
be  moved  by  his  entreaties,  and  would  not  even  deign  to 
see  him,  returned  to  his  capital  full  of  sorrow  and  contri- 
tion. Neither  despair  nor  dissipation  afforded  him  relief, 
and  summoning  his  suite,  he  went  again  to  the  banks  of 
the  Moskwa,  and  pitched  his  tent  beneath  the  castle  wall. 
The  hidden  beauty  was  now  in  a state  of  siege,  and  the 
sighs  of  the  distracted  lover,  caught  up  by  the  wind,  were 
wafted  to  her  silent  tower.  Yet  she  resisted,  and  yet  he 
pressed  his  suit.  In  the  meanwhile  the  court  had  deserted 
the  capital,  to  follow  the  sovereign  prince.  Houses  were 
built,  and  a city  was  growing  up  around  the  castle  of 
Agaphia.  At  last  the  widow  consented  to  receive  the 
Duke,  who  was  of  course  enraptured,  and  bestowed  upon 
the  enchanting  princess  every  proof  of  his  high  consid- 
eration. The  castle  was  enlarged,  was  made  their  mutual 
residence,  and  Moscow  became  their  capital,  and  subse- 
quently the  seat  of  a vast  empire. 

Although  this  city  was  utterly  destroyed  by  the  Tartars 
in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  again  by  the  Poles  in  the 
seventeenth,  and  partly  again  during  the  invasion  of  the 
French,  it  has  lost  none  of  its  original  character,  and  is 
more  populous  and  splendid  than  at  any  former  period. 
It  covers  an  immense  extent  of  ground,  and  measures  more 
than  twenty  English  miles  in  circumference.  The  gardens 
of  the  palaces  and  churches,  the  public  squares,  and  open 
places,  occupy  a very  considerable  portion  of  this  spacious 
area.  Many  of  the  houses  are  not  above  one  story  high, 


THE  KREMLIN. 


197 


and  it  is  the  variety  of  shape  and  color,  rather  than  the 
magnitude  or  dimension  of  the  buildings,  that  most  distin- 
guish Moscow.  The  streets,  broad  and  irregular,  turn 
and  twist  in  every  direction,  and  in  their  windings  con- 
stantly present  some  singular  and  novel  feature.  Churches, 
palaces,  barracks,  and  cottages  of  various  architecture, 
in  red,  blue,  and  green,  succeed  each  other  with  a rapidity 
and  confusion  which  at  first  surprise  and  then  bewilder 
the  passing  stranger ; and  it  is  not  until  he  climbs  the 
Kremlin  towers,  and  takes  in  the  whole  at  one  great  view, 
that  he  is  enabled  to  receive  a fixed  and  decided  impression 
of  the  capital  of  the  Muscovites. 

The  Kremlin,  from  the  Tartar  word  Krem,  signifying 
fortress,  occupies  the  central  and  highest  part  of  the  city. 
For  nearly  four  hundred  years  the  Tartars  remained  the 
masters  of  central  Russia,  and  during  a great  part  of  this 
period  the  Kremlin  was  the  citadel  and  palace  of  their 
deputies  in  Moscow.  The  lieutenants  of  the  Khans  of 
the  Golden  Horde  resided  there  in  oriental  splendor,  and 
received  from  the  Russian  princes  the  tribute  they  were 
forced  to  pay  to  the  grandsons  of  the  immortal  Ghengis. 
So  stern  was  their  rule,  and  so  complete  the  national  deg- 
radation, that  the  princely  successors  of  Ruric  went 
forth  to  meet  the  envoy  from  the  Mongol  court,  and  re- 
ceived upon  their  bended  knees  the  mandates  of  the  great 
Khan.  They  covered  the  avenue,  along  which  he  rode 
from  the  city  gates  toward  the  Kremlin  with  rich  furs ; 
— they  presented  to  the  disdainful  Tartar  a jewelled  gob- 
let filled  with  mare’s  milk  ; — and  they  licked  the  drops  that 
fell  from  his  mouth  upon  the  mane  and  bridle  of  his  war- 
horse.  Ivan  the  Great,  who  reigned  in  the  latter  part  of 


198 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  fifteenth  century ; who  first  took  the  title  of  Czar ; 
who  wedded  Sophia,  the  last  princess  of  the  Imperial  line 
of  Byzantium ; who  destroyed  the  fiefs  and  established  the 
autocracy;  who  adopted  the  double-headed  eagle  as  the 
type  of  the  supreme  power  ; who  expelled  the  Tartars 
from  his  country,  and  who  introduced  the  luxury  and  the 
seclusion  of  Asiatic  manners  into  Russia;  was  the  first 
who  embellished  the  Kremlin  with  its  walls,  palaces  and 
churches.  Aristotle  of  Bologna,  and  Solario  of  Milan, 
were  employed  for  the  latter  purpose ; the  Graeco  Gothic, 
combined  with  the  fantastic  forms  of  Eastern  architecture, 
and  cemented  with  barbaric  strength,  first  adorned  the 
capital  of  the  Czars. 

Escaping  from  the  narrow,  dark  and  winding  passages  of 
the  bazaar,  and  the  eager  shopmen  who,  from  every  door, 
besought  us  with  bows  and  gentle  violence,  and  many 
promises  to  sell  much  cheaper  than  their  neighbors,  we 
entered  a large  open  space,  which  presented  one  of  the 
most  singular  and  animated  scenes  we  had  ever  witnessed. 
Before  us  were  the  green  and  white  walls  and  turrets  that 
surround  the  Kremlin ; the  statues  of  the  two  heroes,  Minia 
and  Pozarsky,  who  had  saved  Moscow  from  the  Tartars, 
and  on  either  side  vast  edifices  of  every  possible  description. 
Conspicuous  among  the  latter  was  the  church  of  St.  Basil,  the 
most  grotesque  of  human  monuments.  Of  various  propor- 
tion and  of  every  color,  with  tapering  spires  and  turbaned 
domes,  it  is  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  conceit.  A riddle  without, 
and  a labyrinth  within,  it  seems  a sort  of  harlequin  among 
the  multitude  of  strange  and  fanciful  structures  of  the  capi- 
tal. It  was  the  whimsical  creation  of  one  of  the  Czars  of 
the  sixteenth  century ; and  the  Italian  architect  who  was 


IVAN  THE  TERRIBLE. 


199 


employed  in  its  construction,  was  deprived  of  his  eyes,  for 
fear  that  he  might  erect  such  another  temple  in  another  land. 

It  was  near  this  spot  that  Ivan  the  Terrible,  a monster, 
whose  atrocities  so  far  exceed  all  former  precedent,  as  to 
be  almost  beyond  belief,  erected  his  instruments  of  torture. 
Among  these  were  the  caldrons  of  boiling  oil,  into  which 
he  threw  the  victims  of  his  fury,  while  he  addressed  the 
assembled  multitude  upon  the  justice  of  the  punishment  he 
inflicted,  and  exclaimed,  “ I am  your  god,  as  God  is  mine ; 
my  throne  is  surrounded  by  archangels,  as  is  the  throne 
of  God.”  Here,  also,  Peter  the  Great  superintended  and 
assisted  in  the  execution  of  the  desperate  soldiers  who  had 
opposed  his  innovations.  Seated  upon  a throne,  he  wit- 
nessed the  dying  agonies  of  two  thousand  of  the  Strelitz, 
and  when  tired  of  the  rack,  he  compelled  his  nobles  to  com- 
plete their  destruction  with  the  sword.  With  the  wine-cup  in 
one  hand  and  the  cimeter  in  the  other,  he  swallowed  twenty 
bumpers,  and  cut  off  twenty  heads  in  a single  hour,  and  as 
if  proud  of  the  achievement,  he  invited  the  ambassador  of 
Prussia  to  try  his  skill.  Eighty  of  the  guilty  Janizaries 
were  subsequently  held  up  by  the  hair  before  the  crowd, 
and  decapitated  by  the  hand  of  the  infuriated  Czar. 

The  scene  of  these  sanguinary  feats  was  now  thronged 
with  Russians  and  Russian  vehicles.  The  merchants  were 
numerous.  They  are  men  of  prodigious  corpulence,  and 
their  faces  wear  an  expression  of  stupidity,  that  is  in  curi- 
ous contrast  with  their  cool,  keen,  cunning  eyes.  They  are 
all  bearded  and  all  dressed  alike,  in  the  dark-blue  or  brown 
surtout,  called  the  caftan,  which  is  bound  about  the  waist 
with  a red  or  yellow  sash.  The  loose  trousers  are  tucked 
into  the  long  boots  which  reach  the  knee.  A low,  bell- 


*200 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


crowned,  felt  hat,  with  a broad  band  and  buckle,  covers  a 
head  of  thick  and  well-greased  hair.  These  merchants 
conduct  the  whole  inland  trade  of  Russia.  Some  of  them 
have  agents  in  Pekin,  Paris,  and  London.  Officers  and  sol- 
diers as  usual  composed  a part  of  the  crowd,  and  squeezing 
through  them  all,  came  the  serf  in  the  sheepskin,  with  a 
huge  glass  jar  of  quass  or  sugared  water,  which  he  pours 
into  a tumbler  and  sells  to  the  thirsty  tradesmen.  Here, 
too,  was  the  Jew  and  Tartar,  equally  engaged  in  the  pur- 
suits of  trade.  The  hum  of  voices  and  the  passing  and  re- 
passing of  horsemen  and  pedestrians,  gave  to  this  place  an 
appearance  of  activity  not  always  seen  in  the  wide  thor- 
oughfares of  a Russian  city. 

Crossing  the  square,  we  approached  the  walls  of  the 
Kremlin,  and  stood  beside  the  Spassnia  Worotu,  or  holy 
gate,  beneath  which  several  bearded  men  were  bowed  in 
prayer.  It  appears  that  this  gate  is  regarded  with  strong 
religious  veneration  by  the  Russians  ; but  the  why  and 
wherefore  is  altogether  a matter  of  conjecture.  Some  say 
the  tower  over  the  gate  was  dedicated  to  a saint,  who  deliv- 
ered the  city  from  the  ravages  of  a pestilence,  and  others 
that  it  was  erected  in  commemoration  of  a holy  warrior, 
who  drove  out  the  Tartars.  It  is  not  improbable,  that  the 
sanctity  attached  to  this  entrance  to  the  precincts  of  the 
palace  originated  in  the  times  of  those  Czars  who  claimed 
divine  honors  from  the  multitude.  The  latter,  besotted  by 
ignorance  and  superstition,  have  perpetuated  the  worship 
of  the  gateway,  and  forgotten  the  infernal  despot  by  whom 
it  was  erected.  We  doffed  our  hats  according  to  the  cus- 
tom, and  passed  the  sentry  into  the  square' of  the  Kremlin. 
In  the  front  arose  the  circular  tower  and  dome  of  Ivan 


VIEW  FROM  THE  KREMLIN. 


201 


Weliki ; on  one  side  the  various  palaces,  from  the  old 
Tartar  Keep,  to  the  modern  and  magnificent  erection  of 
Nicholas ; and  on  the  other  extended  an  open  prospect  of 
unrivalled  beauty.  The  eye  lingers  upon  this  exquisite  and 
unbounded  view.  From  the  foot  of  the  terrace  on  which 
we  stood,  a gentle  declivity,  covered  with  verdure,  reached 
down  to  the  exterior  line  of  battlements.  Beneath  these 
was  the  Moskwa,  whose  current  flows  along  the  southern 
side  of  the  Kremlin  walls.  Beyond  were  the  motley  colors 
and  fascinating  forms  of  the  gorgeous  city,  and  again  be^ 
yond,  the  villas,  the  monasteries,  the  suburban  gardens,  the 
plains  watered  by  the  winding  river,  and  the  heights  which 
are  called  the  Sparrow  hills,  the  whole  presenting  an  aspect 
incomparable  for  its  variety  and  unequalled  for  its  effect. 

From  the  terrace  we  approached  the  great  bell  of  Anna 
Ivanovna,  which  is  larger  than  many  of  the  houses  of  the 
peasantry,  and  then  commenced  the  ascent  to  the  gallery  of 
the  tower,  filled  with  bells  of  every  size,  from  one  whose 
clapper  is  swung  by  the  united  efforts  of  three  strong  men, 
to  others  so  small  as  to  be  worked  with  a single  hand.  From 
this  belfry  we  looked  down  upon  the  whole  of  Moscow.  The 
inclosure  of  the  Kremlin,  about  a mile  in  circumference,  is 
filled  with  palaces  and  churches,  and  surrounded  with  bat- 
tlements of  stone,  painted  alternately  in  green  and  white, 
and  flanked  with  turrets.  This  is  encompassed  by  the  Ka- 
taigorod  or  Chinese  town,  where  the  bazaars  and  the  church 
of  St.  Basil  we  have  spoken  of  are  situated,  and  which  is 
also  surrounded  with  walls  and  bastions.  The  Kataigorod  is 
encircled  by  the  Bielogorod,  or  White-town,  and  this  again 
by  the  Semlanoigorod  or  Ear  them- town,  so  called  because 
of  the  earthern  ramparts  by  which  it  was  formerly  protected. 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Beyond  this  last  circuit  lay  the  straggling  slobodes  or  sub- 
urbs, abounding  with  convents  and  villas,  among  which  the 
Seminova,  with  walls  and  towers  of  every  hue,  stands  forth 
in  fantastic  grandeur.  On  every  side  around  us,  for  miles 
and  miles,  extended  the  multiform  and  variegated  mass  of 
buildings, — six  hundred  churches,  checkered  walls,  red  and 
green  roofs,  and  cupolas  and  spires  without  number.  The 
courts  and  passages  immediately  below  us  leading  to  the 
churches  and  public  offices  of  the  Kremlin,  were  thronged 
with  people  and  equipages  passing  to  and  fro  in  an  unbroken 
stream,  and  filling  with  life  the  foreground  of  this,  the  best 
of  panoramic  views. 

There  is  no  remaining  evidence  of  the  fire  of  1812.  The 
fortifications  of  the  Kremlin,  which  were  injured  by  the 
French,  have  all  been  repaired,  and  the  Chinese  and  White 
quarters,  which  were  almost  wholly  destroyed,  have  been 
entirely  rebuilt.  The  Kremlin  is  undoubtedly  the  most  in- 
teresting locality  in  Russia.  Besides  its  singular  and  antique 
appearance,  it  is  remarkable  as  having  been  the  residence  of 
the  Tartar  Princes,  the  Grand  Dukes  of  Russia,  and  of  Na- 
poleon. The  parts  which  were  inhabited  by  each  of  these 
may  all  be  seen,  as  well  as  the  banquet  halls  of  the  modern 
emperors.  It  contains  also  the  holy  cathedral  of  the  Assump- 
tion, where  the  sovereigns  are  consecrated  and  crowned,  and 
where  all  the  Czars  previous  to  the  time  of  Peter  were  in- 
terred. The  tombs  of  Ivan  the  Great,  Ivan  the  Terrible,  of 
Michael  and  Alexis, — the  last  of  the  race  of  Ruric,  and  the 
first  of  the  dynasty  of  the  Romanoffs,  are  all  together  there, 
and  covered  alike  with  palls  of  brocade,  worked  with  gold 
and  silver  and  studded  with  jewelry. 

This  church  contains  many  images  and  relics  of  the  saints. 


CHURCH  OP  ST.  MICHAEL. 


203 


It  boasts  a portrait  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  said  like  that  one  of 
the  church  of  the  Madonna  della  Guardia,  in  Bologna,  to 
have  been  painted  by  St.  Luke,  and  equally  with  that  one 
is  celebrated  for  its  power  of  working  miracles.  Another 
famous  image  of  the  Virgin  was  taken  by  Peter  from  this 
cathedral,  and  placed  in  the  first  church  he  built  in  St.  Pe- 
tersburg. The  Russians,  discontented  with  the  new  capital, 
perceived  that  the  Virgin  was  in  tears  because  of  the  deser- 
tion of  Moscow.  Peter  ordered  the  image  to  be  taken  down, 
and  upon  examination  he  found  that  a few  drops  of  oil  had 
been  placed  in  the  cavities  of  the  eyes  by  the  priests,  and 
made  to  trickle  down  upon  the  face  of  the  picture.  The 
church  of  St.  Michael,  also  within  the  Kremlin,  is  filled  with 
gold  and  silver  ornaments,  and  makes  a great  display  of  jew- 
elry. It  claims,  with  the  cathedral  of  Treves,  possession  of 
the  identical  garment  of  our  Saviour.  The  Arsenal  of  the 
Kremlin  is  filled  with  military  trophies  and  many  hundred 
cannon  taken  from  the  foes  of  Russia,  and  there  is  a treas- 
ury containing  thrones  and  diadems  of  the  conquered  kings 
of  Siberia,  Kazan,  Poland,  the  Crimea,  and  other  countries. 
The  regalia,  sparkling  with  innumerable  diamonds,  gold  plate 
of  prodigious  weight,  coronation  robes,  saddles  and  housings 
covered  with  emeralds,  amethysts,  and  turquoises  of  inesti- 
mable value,  are  preserved  in  this  place.  There  are  also 
piles  of  swords  and  cimeters,  and  weapons  and  armor  of 
every  kind,  and  many  memorials  of  the  deceased  kings  and 
heroes  of  Russia  and  other  countries ; but  not  the  least 
interesting  in  the  collection  is  a small  box  with  golden 
clasps,  which  contains  the  constitutional  charter  of  forsaken 
Poland, — a charter  once  worth  much  more  than  all  this 
ioarded  treasure,  and  now  altogether  worthless. 


204 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Villa  of  the  Gallitzins — Sparrow  Hills — Nobles  of  Moscow — Manner  of  Liv- 
ing— Intelligence — Presence  of  the  Emperor — Gayety  of  the  Muscovites — 
Shops — Cafes — The  Foundling  Hospital. 

There  is  a fine  view  of  Moscow  from  the  Kousmetzom 
Mosta , or  the  street  of  the  blacksmiths,  and  another  from  the 
tower  of  the  Seminova  monastery ; but  that  one  from  the 
Sparrow  hills  is  the  best  of  all.  To  visit  the  latter  we  left 
the  city  and  passed  by  the  Kalouga  road,  through  the  long 
suburbs,  filled  with  huge  convents,  hospitals,  and  barracks, 
until  we  reached  the  villa  of  the  Gallitzins.  This  is  the 
most  elegant  of  all  the  summer  residences  of  the  Russian 
nobility,  and  for  the  natural  beauty  of  its  situation  is  une- 
qualled in  the  empire.  It  lies  upon  the  bank  of  the  winding 
river,  and  is  surrounded  with  parks  and  gardens.  This  pretty 
place,  whose  prettiness  would  hardly  be  noticed  among  the 
beauties  of  any  other  region,  had  been  coveted  by  the  Em- 
peror. His  majesty  offered  its  proprietors  a large  sum  of 
money  for  their  suburban  paradise.  The  Gallitzins  refused 
the  money,  but  immediately  offered  the  estate  as  a present 
to  their  sovereign.  The  delicacy  of  the  latter  would  not 
permit  him  to  accept  it  as  a gift,  and  for  a time  the  beau- 
tiful domain  will  remain  in  the  possession  of  its  ancient 
masters. 

Not  far  beyond  this  villa  are  the  Prigorok  Notorago  or 


SPARROW  HILLS. 


205 


Sparrow  hills,  very  trifling  elevations,  but  quite  conspicu- 
ous in  the  midst  of  the  surrounding  plain.  The  day  was 
radiant,  and  the  city  of  the  Muscovites  lay  spread  out  be- 
neath like  a gilded  toy.  A thousand  burnished  domes  and 
cupolas  in  blue  and  gold,  glittering  with  silver  stars  and 
clusters  of  graceful  minarets  and  spires,  white  terraces 
and  towers,  roofs  and  walls  of  every  color,  all  confused  and 
shapeless,  yet  all  gay  and  curious,  sparkled  in  the  light 
of  the  declining  sun.  The  white  buildings  of  the  Kremlin, 
the  gaudy  eminences  of  St.  Basil,  the  red  and  white  inclo- 
sures of  the  Donskoi  convent,  the  antique  battlements  of  ~ 
the  Devitchei,  were  below  us ; beyond,  as  far  as  the  eye 
could  reach,  infinite  in  variety  and  almost  endless  in  suc- 
cession, arose  other  fantastic  forms  arrayed  in  the  same  bril- 
liant colors, — the  whole  exciting  more  of  wonder  than  of 
admiration,  more  of  surprise  than  pleasure.  Far  away 
toward  the  south  and  west  reached  a fertile  plain,  and  me- 
andering through  the  meadows  went  the  shining  Moskwa, 

“ a line  of  silver  in  a fringe  of  green.”  The  gardens  and 
orchards,  the  grain  and  cattle,  and  the  bountiful  appearance 
of  the  environs  were  pleasant  to  the  sight.  Both  city  and 
country,  as  seen  at  noonday  from  the  Sparrow  hills,  con- 
veys the  most  lively  impression  it  is  possible  to  conceive  of 
Moscow. 

What  must  have  been  the  surprise  of  the  French  legions, 
who  had  marched  for  a thousand  miles  along  desolate 
and  deserted  plains,  until  from  these  heights  they  first 
looked  down  upon  this  dazzling  and  abounding  picture  ? 
Their  toils  and  dangers  were  at  once  forgotten,  and  as  they 
passed  to  the  summit,  gazing  with  amazement  upon  the  ex- 
aggerated promise  of  luxury  and  wealth,  the  cry  of  Mos- 


206 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


cow  ! Moscow ! passed  from  regiment  to  regiment ; with 
all  the  enthusiasm  of  Frenchmen,  they  clapped  their  hands 
and  repeated,  Moscow ! 

Napoleon  had  already  entered  the  Kremlin,  and  from  the 
casements  of  the  old  palace  of  the  Czars,  he  watched  his 
soldiers  and  the  waving  banners  as  they  defiled  along  the 
hill.  An  array  of  soldiers,  with  whom  he  dreamed  of  con- 
quering the  East,  was  now  before  him  in  all  the  pride  of 
victory,  and  all  joyous  in  the  golden  light  of  the  Septem- 
ber sun.  In  one  short  month  thereafter  his  romantic  pros- 
pects were  forever  blasted — the  city  was  destroyed — the 
snow  covered  the  plains — famine,  cold,  and  the  lance  of  the 
wild  Cossacks,  intercepted  his  retreat,  and  of  those  who  en- 
tered Moscow,  a few  only  repassed  the  Russian  frontiers. 

The  burning  of  Moscow  is  undoubtedly  to  be  attributed, 
to  the  wretches  who  escaped  from  the  prisons  previous  to 
the  entry  of  the  French.  They  were  actuated  in  this 
matter  partly  by  feelings  of  revenge  against  their  late  op- 
pressors, and  partly  by  the  hopes  they  entertained  of  plun- 
der. Patriotism  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  it.  No 
Russian  officer  would  have  dared  to  take  the  responsibility 
of  firing  the  sacred  city.  The  Emperor  Alexander  would 
never  have  consented  to  any  thing  of  the  kind,  as  is  be- 
lieved by  many  intelligent  Russians. 

Moscow  is,  in  many  respects,  the  most  agreeable  and  in- 
teresting of  the  Russian  capitals.  The  climate  is  less  va- 
riable than  that  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  it  has  little  of  the 
rectangular  monotony  of  the  latter  city.  It  is  also  purely 
national  in  aspect  and  character,  and  the  residence  of  many 
of  the  elder  members  of  the  most  noble  families  of  the  em- 
pire, who  have  been  graciously  permitted  to  retire  from  the 


THE  MUSCOVITES. 


207 


fatigues  of  the  court  and  camp,  and  remain  in  Moscow. 
They  retain  many  of  the  old  prejudices,  and  exhibit  much 
of  ancient  hospitality.  They  consider  the  introduction 
of  railways  as  especially  intended  to  destroy  the  last  ves- 
tiges of  the  rights  and  privileges  of  their  order.  They  de- 
plore the  power  and  policy  of  the  Czar,  the  influence  of 
foreigners,  and  the  declining  wealth  and  energy  of  the 
younger  members  of  the  aristocracy.  With  little  preten- 
sion to  the  high  style  or  fashion  of  modern  date,  they  pre- 
fer the  barbaric  show  and  splendor  of  their  sires ; in  the  num- 
ber of  their  menials  and  the  magnificence  of  their  enter- 
tainments, they  strive  to  display  the  extravagance  and  pro- 
fusion of  the  olden  time.  Amiable  in  manner,  fond  of 
feasting  and  amusement,  and  accomplished  linguists,  they 
betray  in  many  instances  a most  ludicrous  ignorance  of 
many  things,  which  in  the  United  States  are  taught  in  the 
common  schools. 

Several  old  gentlemen  manifested  much  curiosity  in  all 
that  related  to  the  United  States.  We  were  regarded  as 
objects  of  rare  interest,  and  asked  all  kinds  of  questions. 
The  tiger  and  the  crocodile,  and  monsters  of  every  imaginable 
kind,  were  supposed  by  some  to  be  so  abundant  in  America, 
as  to  infest  the  very  doorways  of  our  houses  Several  were 
surprised  to  see  such  fair-complexioned  men  from  beyond 
the  sea.  Doubts  were  even  entertained  as  to  the  fact  of 
our  being  the  genuine  article,  because  our  native  tongue 
was  English,  and  because,  forsooth,  all  former  Americans, 
who  had  passed  the  vision  of  some  of  these  Muscovites, 
were  as  black  as  the  ace  of  spades.  One  old  prince  was  so 
satisfied  that  there  was  a mistake  somewhere,  that  he  in- 
sisted upon  our  going  with  him  to  the  theatre,  in  order  to 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


show  us  what  had  hitherto  been  his  beau  ideal  of  our  far- 
famed  republicans.  We  entered  the  parterre  of  the  house 
devoted  to  the  representation  of  the  vaudeville  and  petite 
eomedie  of  France.  The  audience  was  very  respectable 
in  appearance,  and  consisted  principally  of  officers  in  gay 
uniforms,  ladies  beautifully  attired,  and  many  stout  noble- 
blemen  of  the  old  school.  We  were  not  seated  long,  be- 
fore  we  discovered  the  dark  object  who  had  mystified  the 
prince.  A well-dressed  negro,  whose  hair  looked  as  if  it 
had  been  frosted,  was  seated  in  the  orchestra,  and  tuned  up 
his  fiddle  in  concert  with  the  various  instruments  of  the 
Frenchmen,  Italians,  Germans,  and  others  who  formed  the 
company  of  musicians.  There  was  no  mistaking  the  na- 
tionality of  the  sable  performer  before  us.  His  style  and 
manner  of  bowing  was  Virginia  all  over.  His  head  was  in- 
clined upon  the  left  shoulder,  his  eyes  were  half  closed,  and 
his  body  swung  so  lazily  back  and  forth,  as  to  convince  us 
at  once  that  he  was  bred  among  the  minstrels,  somewhere 
south  of  Mason’s  and  Dixon’s  line.  We  told  the  prince 
that  this  interesting  subject  was  undoubtedly  an  American, 
although  not  what  w7e  considered  as  precisely  “ le  vrai  bou- 
quet.” We  then  explained  the  origin  and  condition  of  the 
slave  population  in  the  United  States.  When  he  ascer- 
tained that  our  serfs  were  black,  and  particularly  fond  of 
music  'and  dancing,  he  thought  it  a capital  arrangement, 
and  that  Russia  and  America  were,  after  all,  the  only  two 
empires  of  any.  extent  or  consequence  in  the  world. 

A cheerful  expression,  and  a certain  unrestrained  gay- 
ety  of  manner,  seldom  noticed  elsewhere  in  Russia,  prevail 
in  Moscow.  This  was  particularly  the  case  during  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  late  Governor  General  Gallitzin.  The 


THE  IMPERIAL  PRESENCE. 


209 


moment  a Russian  is  relieved  from  the  attention  of  the 
police,  his  propensity  to  laugh  and  grow  fat,  becomes  re- 
markable. The  Muscovites  have  not  been  so  much  exposed 
to  the  exactions  that  have  impoverished  the  population  of 
some  other  provinces,  and  this  may  possibly  account  for  the 
portly  appearance  of  the  noblemen  and  merchants  of  the 
sacred  city. 

In  court  or  country,  and  wherever  the  Imperial  person 
may  chance  to  appear,  every  body  is  expected  to  look  happy, 
and  greet  the  approach  of  majesty  with  expressions  of 
delight.  When  his  coming  is  announced  upon  the  high- 
way, the  villagers  clothe  themselves  in  holiday  suits,  and 
appear  as  felicitous  and  as  rural  as  possible  ; in  the  towns  his 
arrival  is  greeted  with  reviews,  Te  Deums,  and  salvos  of 
artillery.  All  are  glad  when  he  is  gone.  In  St.  Petersburg 
his  continual  presence  throws  a stiffness  and  coldness  of 
demeanor  over  the  whole  surface  of  society,  and  creates 
an  apprehension  that  completely  stifles  the  joy  and  serenity 
which  he  professes  to  admire.  There  is  nothing  so  impres- 
sive; nothing  perhaps,  that  conveys  so  complete  an  idea 
of  human  vanity  and  human  weakness,  as  these  scenes  in 
which  the  great  ministers  of  the  empire  appear  before  their 
mighty  master.  They  have  climbed  to  the  last  step  upon 
the  ladder,  and  trembling  they  stand  upon  the  giddy  height, 
beyond  which  there  is  no  advance,  and  from  which  there 
is  no  retreat,  except  in  disgrace  and  death.  Nicholas  as 
Grand  Duke,  quaked  with  awe  in  his  interviews  with  his 
Imperial  brother  Alexander,  and  Nicholas  as  Emperor,  in 
vain  commands  his  courtiers  to  be  happy  and  rejoice  in  the 
light  of  his  gracious  presence.  Care  is  indelibly  written 
upon  the  countenance  of  the  autocrat,  and  dismay  upon  the 


210 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


faces  of  his  servants.  He  may  smile,  but  all  who  have  seen 
it  have  felt  it  to  be  fearful,  and  they  may  smile,  but  theirs 
is  the  sardonic  smile  that  proclaims  the  agony  of  the  heart. 

Moscow  is  in  some  measure  relieved  from  these  painful 
efforts  to  be  merry  upon  occasion,  and  whoever  has  resided 
for  anytime  in  the  ancient  and  modern  capitals  of  the  Empire, 
cannot  fail  to  distinguish  the  hearty  hilarity  prevailing  in 
the  one,  from  the  empty  and  counterfeit  happiness  of  the 
other.  Animation  pervades  the  shows,  theatres  and  prom- 
enades of  Moscow ; pleasure  reigns  in  her  festivities,  and 
apparently  alleviates  many  of  her  miseries.  There  are  fine 
shops,  with  clerks  speaking  French  and  English ; there  are 
cafes,  and  restaurants,  and  salons,  in  the  Parisian  style ; 
there  is  the  largest  ball-room,  and  the  most  spacious  man- 
ege in  the  world  ; there  are  extensive  monasteries  and  asy- 
lums, and  last,  not  least,  the  most  extensive  foundling  hos- 
pital in  Europe. 

Catherine  the  Second,  who  by  the  way,  has  been  called 
the  mother  of  her  country,  established  these  receptacles 
for  infants,  in  every  large  city  of  the  Empire.  That  of 
Moscow  is  conducted  on  the  usual  scale  of  Russian  mag- 
nificence. It  exceeds  in  length  and  breadth,  and  excels  in 
the  amount  of  its  revenues  and  the  numbers  of  its  inmates, 
any  institution  of  the  kind  in  either  hemisphere.  It  con- 
tains chapels  and  school-rooms,  offices  and  dormitories,  all 
of  vast  dimensions.  In  the  neighborhood  of  the  city,  are 
the  farms  and  farm-houses,  the  gardens  and  summer- resi- 
dences, the  cattle  and  the  peasantry,  appertaining  to  and 
forming  part  of  the  establishment.  Its  treasury  is  a bank 
of  loan  and  deposit.  It  has  a governor,  and  deputy-gov- 
ernor, directors  and  teachers,  male  and  female,  and  a regi- 


FOUNDLING  HOSPITAL. 


211 


ment  of  wet  nurses,  six  or  eight  hundred  in  number,  who 
are  recruited  every  month  according  to  the  wants  of  the 
establishment.  From  twenty  to  thirty  infants  are  received 
daily,  and  upwards  of  nine  thousand  children  are  constantly 
being  reared  and  educated  here.  The  infant  is  deposited 
in  a place  appointed  for  the  purpose.  The  parent  may  or 
may  not  be  known,  and  may  or  may  not  leave  a name  to 
be  given  the  child  in  baptism.  If  it  is  a boy,  and  roubles 
amounting  to  fifty  dollars  are  left  with  him,  he  will  receive 
an  education,  and  at  a proper  age  be  appointed  an  officer 
in  the  army.  If  he  brings  no  money,  he  is  destined  to  be- 
come a common  soldier.  If  it  is  a girl  and  she  comes  with 
a silver  spoon,  she  is  carefully  instructed  in  music,  embroi- 
dery, French  and  Italian,  and  if  not  ultimately  reclaimed  by 
her  parents,  may  become  a governess,  and  instruct  the  chil- 
dren of  the  nobility.  Many  of  the  girls  are  taught  singing 
and  dancing,  with  the  view  of  joining  the  corps  de  ballet, 
and  choirs  of  the  theatres.  The  great  majority,  however, 
receive  a very  limited  education,  and  are  employed  in  va- 
rious labors,  the  proceeds  of  which  are  applied  to  increase 
the  funds  of  the  institution.  The  parents  of  these  children 
may  at  any  time  visit  them,  and  send  them  money  or  re- 
move them  ; and  this  is  often  done  by  those  whose  circum- 
stances may  permit  them  to  do  so.  The  poor  parent,  how- 
ever, is  generally  willing  to  leave  her  offspring  to  the 
superior  care  of  the  matrons  of  the  hospital.  The  nurses 
who  crowd  about  the  doors  and  seek  to  be  employed,  are 
glad  to  leave  their  homes  and  avail  themselves  of  the  com- 
forts of  this  place. 

There  is  no  manner  of  doubt  as  to  the  fatal  tendencies 
of  these  establishments.  The  seclusion  and  the  privacy  of 


212 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  domestic  life  of  the  Russians  at  an  early  period,  were 
attended  with  notions  of  female  chastity,  which  prevail 
with  more  or  less  rigor  among  barbarians.  Adultery  was 
considered  a most  heinous  crime.  It  was  so  regarded 
among  the  commoners  long  after  the  civilization  introduced 
by  Peter ; and  in  spite  of  the  open  depravity  of  Anne  and 
Elizabeth,  and  even  down  to  the  days  of  the  second  Cathe- 
rine, the  guilty  one  was  punished  by  being  buried  alive  up  to 
the  waist.  This  Empress  changed  the  penalty  to  that  of 
an  ordinary  crime,  and  at  the  same  moment  that  she  set 
an  example  that  was  a dishonor  to  her  sex,  and  the  imme- 
diate cause  of  the  universal  profligacy  of  the  nation,  she 
opened  and  endowed  the  hospitals,  where  the  offspring 
of  the  adulterous  mother  was  sure  to  be  received,  and 
reared  at  the  expense  of  the  state.  But  Catherine  did  more 
than  this  for  Moscow  and  for  Russia,  and  to  day  we  can 
trace  the  operation  of  her  influence  upon  her  successors  and 
upon  the  Empire. 


CATHERINE  THE  SECOND. 


213 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Catherine  the  Second — Her  Influence  and  Art — Council  of  Moscow — De- 
struction of  the  Political  Importance  of  the  Nobles — Ukases — Civil  and 
Military  Governors — The  Senate— The  Emperor  Alexander. 

When  Catherine  the  Second  became  Empress  of  Russia, 
the  nobles  regained  a little  of  the  importance  they  had  lost 
since  the  accession  of  Peter  the  Great.  They  frequented 
the  court  of  their  Imperial  mistress,  and  followed  her  pre- 
cepts of  extravagance  and  luxury.  The  wonders  of  the 
Winter  Palace ; the  enchanted  gardens  of  Potemkin ; the 
groves  of  orange  and  of  myrtle,  which  appeared  as  if  by 
magic  among  the  ice  hills  beside  the  Neva ; the  Academies 
of  Science  and  of  Art ; the  brilliancy  and  the  prospects  of 
military  life  ; — each  and  all,  held  out  inducements  to  the 
Russian  noble  to  hasten  forward  and  engage  his  time  and 
wealth  in  the  race  of  ambition  or  of  pleasure. 

The  privileges  of  the  nobles  were  confirmed  by  Catherine. 
She  even  abolished  the  confiscation  of  private  property,  and 
ratified  the  old  charter  of  Michael  Romanoff,  that  permitted 
the  nobles  to  reside  abroad,  and  which  guaranteed  their 
hereditary  rights  and  dignities.  But  the  Semiramis  of  the 
North  was  as  ambitious  of  despotic  power  as  any  sovereign 
could  be ; — and  while  she  amused  her  nobles  with  promises 
and  appearances  the  most  plausible,  she  proceeded  to  assert 
and  to  establish  this  power  by  one  of  the  most  politic  meas- 
ures that  can  be  conceived. 


214 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


She  recommended  and  decreed,  that  deputies  of  knowl- 
edge and  honor  should  be  chosen  from  among  the  nobles  of 
all  the  districts  of  the  Empire,  who  were  to  meet  in  conven- 
tion, for  the  purpose  of  revising  and  correcting  the  laws. 
The  sitting  of  this  assembly,  thus  invoked,  was  opened  in 
Moscow,  by  the  Empress  in  person.  The  magnificent 
patroness  of  the  arts, — the  learned  correspondent  of  Vol- 
taire,— appeared  before  her  delighted  nobles  in  council 
assembled,  as  the  sage  under  whose  supervision  a code  of 
laws  was  to  be  digested, 

But  in  despotic  countries,  fear  and  self-preservation  ren- 
der public  assemblies  little  better  than  dramatic  representa- 
tions. Beyond  the  pomp  and  ceremony  attending  the  first 
meeting  of  this  body,  like  which  none  had  assembled  since 
the  nobles  met  to  elect  a sovereign,  there  was  little  to  at- 
tract the  curious.  When  the  excitement  passed  away,  many 
of  the  members  neglected  to  attend,  while  repeated  adjourn- 
ments wearied  out  many  more,  and  various  reasons  pre- 
vented the  presence  of  others.  There  was,  however,  an 
occasional  display  of  spirit ; showing  that  a certain  interest 
was  manifested  in  the  proceedings  by  a few,  who  were  not 
to  be  deceived,  though  they  could  not  avert  the  systematic 
chicanery  of  the  Empress.  In  one  instance,  a deputy  de- 
manded if  ukases  were  to  be  promulgated  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  new  code  ; and  upon  being  informed  that  such 
would  be  the  case,  he  stated  that  he  would  then  retire  to  his 
estate,  as  his  presence  could  be  of  no  possible  consequence 
for  the  accomplishment  of  the  objects  for  which  he  had 
attended. 

The  whole  business  then  devolved  upon  the  Empress, 
assisted  by  a few  of  her  chosen  and  faithful  counsellors. 


COUNCIL  OF  MOSCOW. 


215 


The  result  of  her  labors,  which  her  artful  partisans  have 
praised  as  worthy  the  reputation  of  a Justinian  or  a Solon, 
was  not  merely  the  publication  of  the  celebrated  maxims 
she  took  from  Montesquieu ; — not  merely  her  declaration 
“ to  make  Russia  more  happy  than  any  other  nation  on  the 
earth,”  and  that  “ to  be  disappointed  in  this  purpose  would 
be  an  unhappiness  she  did  not  wish  to  survive.”  It  resulted 
not  in  a revision  or  a digest  of  the  laws  of  Russia,  but  in  a 
collection  of  those  decrees  alone  which  could  substantiate 
absolute  authority ; — in  the  rejection  or  destruction  of  all 
others  by  which  this  authority  could  be  denied.  The  object 
was  to  make  the  word  or  will  of  the  Czar  or  Czarina  supe- 
rior to  all  precedents  : and  that  the  imperial  ukase,  or  mani- 
festo, should  be  received  as  the  law  of  the  land,  all  other 
previous  decrees,  ukases,  or  manifestoes,  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding.  Here  in  Moscow,  the  very  soul  and 
centre  of  all  that  remained  to  animate  the  nation ; — here  in 
council  called  to  perfect  the  laws,  she  succeeded  in  obtain- 
ing the  acknowledgment  of  her  absolute  and  unlimited 
authority.  What  did  it  matter  whether  certain  rights  and 
privileges  had  been  granted  to  certain  parties  by  charter, 
when,  by  this  public  acknowledgment,  these  charters  could 
be  vitiated  by  subsequent  decrees  ? The  power  to  publish 
ukases  did  exist  before  the  time  of  the  council  we  refer  to, 
for  we  know  that  in  many  cases  they  were  published  by  the 
predecessors  of  Catherine ; — but  it  is  very  questionable 
whether,  by  the  ancient  organization  of  the  government,  the 
sovereign  had  the  right  to  make  one  law  to-day,  in  direct 
opposition  to  that  of  yesterday.  Every  vestige  of  the 
power  of  the  aristocracy,  so  far  as  it  was  an  element  of  the 
Russian  government,  was  destroyed  by  the  principles  as- 


216 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


sumed  at  the  great  council  of  Moscow.  Every  effort  was 
made  to  obliterate  and  eradicate  from  the  public  mind,  and 
the  public  records,  the  evidence  of  the  former  interposition 
of  the  nobles  in  public  affairs. 

The  ukase  is  as  contrary  to  the  ancient  institutions  of 
the  country,  as  the  proclamations  of  the  kings  of  the  house 
of  Stuart  were  contrary  to  the  provisions  of  Magna  Charta. 
We  have  no  written  authority  for  such  assertions  ; those 
who  have  written  in  favor  of  absolute  power,  have  done  so 
under  the  fear  or  the  favor  of  the  autocrat,  for  whom  they 
find  proofs  of  sovereignty,  divine  and  unlimited,  through  all 
times  gone  by.  Our  opinion  is  based  upon  the  belief  of 
many  educated  Russians,  upon  well-established  rules  of  rea- 
son, and  upon  the  undeniable  and  well-known  usages  of  the 
Slavonic  tribes.  If  the  energy  of  Peter  the  Great  merely 
threw  the  political  qualifications  of  the  nobility  into  abey- 
ance, at  a n#>ment  when  such  qualifications  were  of  no  im- 
mediate service  to  the  country,  the  craftiness  of  Catherine 
destroyed  them  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  when  she  thus 
publicly  aspired  to,  and  openly  assumed,  by  the  seeming 
consent  of  the  nation,  the  exercise  of  a power  more  des- 
potic and  more  boundless  than  any  that  is  recorded  in  the 
Russian  annals.  In  1613,  Michael  Romanoff  was  chosen 
Czar  by  the  Boyards  and  Burghers,  and  made  oath  to  main- 
tain their  laws  and  liberties.  In  1676,  Alexis  consulted  the 
assembly  of  the  nobles  and  citizens  respecting  a revision  of 
the  laws.  In  1700,  Peter  abolished  the  court  of  nobles  and 
established  a Senate  of  counsellors  wholly  dependent  upon 
his  pleasure.  In  1730,  Anna  was  elected  to  the  throne 
upon  certain  conditions,  limiting  the  power  of  the  crown. 
These  few  historical  facts  are  sufficient  to  show  the  former 


THE  ARISTOCRACY. 


217 


importance  of  the  Russian  aristocracy,  as  an  element  of  the 
government.  The  people  went  for  nothing  it  is  true,  but 
with  the  jealousy  that  existed  between  the  Boyards  and  the 
Czar,  the  people  were  in  some  degree  cherished  and  pro- 
tected. The  collisions  of  interest  between  the  barons  and 
King  John,  led  to  the  first  mitigation  of  Anglo-Saxon  serf- 
dom ; and  by  one  of  the  articles  of  the  great  charter  of 
English  freedom,  the  destruction  of  cattle  and  of  men  by  the 
monarch,  was  forbidden,  without  the  special  license  of  the 
proprietor,  who  had  full  power  over  the  life  of  Englishmen. 

Not  many  years  after  the  great  council  of  Moscow,  the 
French  Revolution  broke  out  with  fury,  and  civilization, 
loosened  from  the  folds  of  error  and  custom,  leaped  forth 
with  prodigious  elasticity  and  vigor.  Catherine,  faithful  to 
her  ambitious  projects,  guarded  her  western  frontiers  from 
its  inroads,  and  from  that  moment  French  literature  and 
French  science  lost  its  influence  in  the  ndrth.  Trag- 
edy and  comedy,  Voltaire  and  Moliere,  were  banished  from 
the  court;  Washington  was  declared  a rebel,  and  the  statue 
of  the  incendiary  Fox,  was  dashed  to  pieces.  Not  a new 
idea,  oy  a new  principle,  springing  from  the  improved  state 
of  things,  was  permitted  to  invade  her  borders.  The  lights 
of  civilization  which  came  forth  in  1789,  penetrated  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent,  every  European  country  excepting 
Russia,  which  has  alone  remained  untouched.  Distinct  in 
her  retention  of  old  abuses,  it  would  seem  as  if  she  had  re- 
lapsed into  the  state  of  utter  darkness,  from  which  Peter 
the  First  had  redeemed  her. 

It  is  a matter  of  very  little  consequence,  perhaps,  how 
the  despotisms  of  Peter  or  Catherine  were  established,  but  it 
is  interesting  to  know  and  see  the  different  effects  of  these 

10 


218 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


as  they  differed  in  their  motives  and  degrees.  The  power 
of  the  one,  rude,  bold  and  fearless,  was  employed  to  force 
open  the  avenues  for  the  ingress  of  ameliorating  influences ; 
the  efforts  of  the  other,  subtle,  vain  and  treacherous,  were 
used  to  baffle  every  project  which  did  not  tend  to  swell  the 
importance  and  power  of  the  crown.  Both  were  success- 
ful, and  both  will  exemplify  the  extraordinary  means  pos- 
sessed by  the  head  of  an  absolute  government  for  effecting 
either  good  or  evil.  Peter  the  Great  left  his  country  in  a 
wonderful  state  of  progression,  and  Catherine  left  a crown, 
the  emblem  of  the  concentrated  majesty  and  magnificence 
of  a capricious  and  selfish  sovereign. 

Since  the  time,  of  Catherine,  there  has  been  no  change 
in  the  political  condition  of  the  country,  nor  can  it  be 
shown  that  the  personal  welfare,  or  individual  comfort  of 
the  people  have  increased  in  any  way.  Vast  provinces 
have  been  added  to  the  eastern  and  southern  frontiers  of 
the  Empire,  whose  colossal  arms,  stretching  throughout  the 
hemispheres,  seem  ready  to  embrace  the  globe.  Russia  in 
Europe  contains  one  twenty-eighth  part  of  the  surface  of 
the  earth,  and  one  sixteenth  of  the  human  race.  The  whole 
Empire,  with  a population  of  sixty  millions  and  an  annual 
increase  of  one  million,  is  divided  into  fifty-three  govern- 
ments, which  are  subdivided  into  many  districts.  Each 
district  is  represented  by  a deputy  chosen  by  the  nobles  to 
sit  in  the  general  assembly  of  the  deputies  of  the  govern- 
ment. This  general  assembly  is  to  guard  the  local  inter- 
ests, to  appoint  some  inferior  officers,  to  confer  through  its 
marshals  with  the  superior  officers  of  the  Empire,  to  petition 
the  Emperor,  and  render  him  homage  for  the  rights  and 
privileges  they  enjoy.  For  every  act  or  decision  contrary 


GOVERNORS. 


219 


to  the  law,  this  general  assembly  is  liable  to  a fine,  amount- 
ing to  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

Each  government  is  administered  by  a civil  or  a mili- 
tary governor,  or  both,  who  are  appointed  by  the  Em- 
peror. The  civil  governor  has  certain  specified  powers ; 
the  military  governor  acts  at  discretion ; and  where  the 
authority  of  the  two  afflict  a province,  the  influence  of 
the  former  is  destroyed,  and  the  latter  rules  as  with  a rod 
of  iron.  These  governors  are  oftentimes  incapable,  and 
chosen  more  because  of  their  devotion  to  the  Imperial 
person,  than  because  of  their  integrity  or  intelligence. 
They  are  followed  by  hordes  of  rapacious  dependents,  who 
fill  the  minor  offices,  organize  the  civil  and  criminal 
courts,  traffic  in  justice,  and  oppress  the  people.  The 
Emperor  himself  has  been  obliged  to  degrade  some  of  his 
lieutenants,  who  had  obtained  a notoriety  for  their  re- 
peated prevarications.  But  in  the  majority  of  cases  their 
abuses  escape  the  observation  of  the  Czar,  and  the  Senate, 
who  are  bound  to  watch  the  public  interests,  dare  not 
attack  a favorite.  How  often  is  it  in  the  power  of  min- 
isters to  deceive  their  sovereign.  “Secluded  from  man- 
kind by  his  exalted  dignity,  the  truth  is  concealed  from 
his  knowledge ; he  can  only  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hears 
nothing  but  their  representations ; — he  confers  the  most 
important  offices  upon  vice  and  weakness,  and  disgraces 
the  most  virtuous  and  deserving  among  his  subjects.  By 
such  infamous  arts,  said  the  Emperor  Dioclesian,  the  best 
and  wisest  of  princes  are  sold  to  the  venal  corruption  of 
their  courtiers.” 

The  Russian  Senate  is  composed  of  an  unlimited  num- 
ber of  senators,  appointed  by  the  Emperor,  and  is  divided 


220 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


into  eleven  departments.  In  general  assembly  it  has  power 
to  inquire  into  the  conduct  of  the  employes  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  report  to  the  ministers.  These  are  twelve 
in  number,  and  at  the  head  of  the  various  Departments 
of  State,  from  that  of  the  interior  to  that  of  finance.  Each 
ministry  is  divided  into  many  sections,  and  every  section 
into  many  bureaus.  There  is  a bureau  devoted  to  every 
description  of  business,  from  that  on  commerce  and  manu- 
factures to  that  on  theatres  and  stables.  Besides  the  min- 
isters, there  is  a Council  of  the  Empire,  of  which  the 
Emperor  is  President,  and  which  is  also  divided  into  va- 
rious departments  and  sections,  having  various  powers. 
Legions  of  functionaries  are  attached  to  all  these  branches 
of  the  administration.  The  labor  is  immense,  from  the 
very  nature  of  the  government,  and  it  is  rendered  still 
more  so  because  of  the  inefficiency  and  the  corruption 
of  its  agents.  Any  system  so  variable,  arbitrary  and  in- 
complete ; so  diffuse,  intricate  and  venal,  is  wholly  beyond 
the  management  of  the  Autocrat.  The  greatest  possible 
ability  and  activity  could  not  prevent  disastrous  conse 
quences  resulting  from  such  institutions. 

The  Emperor  Alexander,  who  had  become  convinced 
of  the  extreme  degradation  of  his  country,  and  who  was 
aware  of  his  ability  to  effect  most  important  changes,  was 
known  to  have  seriously  entertained  projects  of  improve- 
ment ; but  he  possessed  no  decision  of  character.  The 
uncertainty  of  success,  the  difficulties  of  the  enterprise, 
and  the  want  of  confidence  in  himself  and  others,  preyed 
continually  upon  his  mind,  and  occasioned  that  melancholy 
which  hurried  him  to  his  grave. 


ACCESSION  OF  NICHOLAS. 


221 


CHAPTER  XXIY. 

Accession  of  Nicholas — His  Policy — Motives  of  his  Conduct — Military  and 
Naval  Forces — Corruption  of  the  Government — The  Aristocracy — The  Rus- 
sian Church — Conflict  of  the  Laws — Courts — Decrees — Judicial  Proceed- 
ings— Political  Difficulties — The  Spirit  of  the  Age — Its  Advance  and  In- 
fluence. 

The  present  Autocrat  assumed  the  Imperial  office  in 
the  midst  of  dangers  and  difficulties.  A few  officers,  who 
had  studied  liberty  in  the  wars  against  Napoleon,  pro- 
nounced  in  favor  of  constitutional  monarchy,  and  a few 
regiments,  obedient  to  their  commands,  followed  them  in 
their  impotent  and  fruitless  efforts  to  effect  reform.  Nich- 
olas triumphed,  but  never  could  he  forgive  or  forget  this 
attempt  at  revolution.  A prince  by  birth,  and  a soldier 
by  education,  he  was  accustomed  to  command  and  to  be 
obeyed  ; and  now  that  he  was  called  to  exercise  despotic 
power,  the  slightest  check  to  his  authority — the  slight- 
est murmur  or  suspicion,  awakened  his  indignation,  and 
called  forth  all  the  severity  of  his  character.  By  nature 
ardent  and  generous  ; possessing  most  noble  and  most 
honorable  qualities;  gifted  with  very  considerable  mental 
ability,  great  personal  beauty,  and  bodily  strength;  his 
errors  are  to  be  regarded  as  those  of  position,  rather  than 
those  of  inclination.  The  cruel  death  of  his  father,  the 
weakness  and  misfortunes  of  his  brothers,  and  the  bloody 
events  attending  his  own  succession  to  the  throne,  seem 


m 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


to  have  determined  him  to  pursue  a course  of  policy 
more  in  keeping  with  a soldier’s  idea  of  order  and  secu- 
rity, than  one  distinguished  for  prudence,  wisdom  and 
moderation. 

To  secure  the  acknowledgment  of  Imperial  power  with- 
out contradiction,  and  to  exercise  it  without  the  com- 
plaints or  criticisms  of  others,  have  been  the  first  and  the 
darling  object  of  his  ambition.  To  this  all  other  consid- 
erations have  been  sacrificed.  Ever  on  the  alert  to  detect 
the  most  trifling  infringement  of  his  commands,  he  pursues 
his  object  with  an  impetuosity  that  carries  him  beyond  his 
mark,  and  transforms  into  violence  and  injustice  what  was 
intended  to  be  done  with  justice,  prudence  and  decision. 
Disappointment  wounds  his  vanity,  and  he  gives  way  to 
those  momentary  fits  of  melancholy  and  anger  peculiar  to 
his  famity,  which  nothing  can  withstand,  and  which  con- 
ceal, for  a while,  the  higher  and  nobler  virtues  of  the  man. 
The  fears  of  political  innovations,  of  new  political  sys- 
tems and  ideas,  are  constantly  forcing  themselves  upon 
him  ; and  to  combat  these,  he  employs  the  most  extra- 
ordinary measures,  and  exhibits  the  most  remarkable  ener- 
gy. The  military  and  naval  forces  of  the  Empire,  surpass 
in  number  any  thing  ever  seen  before  in  a time  of  peace 
in  Europe.  Ignorant  of  the  causes  of  this  martial  spirit 
and  display,  the  nations  look  with  apprehension  upon  the 
warlike  preparations  of  the  Czar.  The  police,  counting  its 
thousands  and  tens  of  thousands,  of  public  and  private,  open 
and  secret  agents,  form  another  mysterious  element  of  the , 
government,  while  suspicions  of  all  kinds  rest  upon  the 
motives  and  intrigues  of  Russian  diplomacy  in  every  quar- 
ter of  the  world. 


RUSSIAN  POLICY. 


223 


Europe,  however,  has  been  deceived  as  to  this  important 
array  of  the  military,  constabulary,  and  diplomatic  regiments 
of  the  autocrat.  They  are  not  intended  for  the  invasion  or 
final  subjugation  of  the  nations.  On  the  contrary,  they  are 
designed  to  protect  Russia  from  the  attacks  of  those  princi- 
ples of  liberalism  which  seek  to  penetrate  her  borders  ; they 
are  employed  to  arrest,  at  the  threshold,  those  ideas  and 
those  innovations  which  would  dispute  with  the  despotism 
of  Nicholas.  Europe  has  nothing  to  fear  from  the  armies 
of  the  Emperor  of  Russia.  His  diplomatic  agents  are  more 
particularly  instructed  to  watch  the  conduct  and  opinions 
of  their  countrymen  abroad,  than  to  spy  out  the  land ; and 
his  domestic  police,  a most  formidable  body,  are  only  charged 
with  the  duty  of  attending  to  the  business  of  every  one 
within  the  limits  of  the  Empire. 

A despot,  like  one  of  the  olden  time,  who  unites  in  his 
own  person  all  the  powers  of  the  government,  and  who  can 
use  these  powers  with  vigor  and  in  the  full  confidence  of  his 
might,  could  truly  alarm  those  who  feared  an  exhibition  of 
his  wrath ; but  a despot  who  has  not  this  confidence,  and 
whose  vigor  is  wasted  in  watching  for  the  safety  of  his  pre- 
rogatives, should  give  no  anxiety  to  his  neighbors.  Never 
was  there  so  general  or  so  grave  an  error  as  that  one  pre- 
vailing among  European  statesmen  and  politicians,  in  attach- 
ing the  importance  they  do  to  the  weight  of  Russia  in  the 
balance  of  European  power.  The  time,  the  talents,  the  ac- 
tivity and  ambition  of  Nicholas  are  devoted  almost  wholly 
to  suppress  the  whispers  that  speak  of  revolution  or  of  lib- 
erty. Haunted  with  real  or  fancied  dangers,  troubled  with 
dreams  or  imaginings  of  conspiracy,  he  strives  with  his  fore- 
bodings as  with  an  enemy  at  his  palace  gates,  and  would 


224 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


obliterate  the  very  shadows  proclaiming  events  which  are 
to  come. 

It  is  easier  to  imagine  than  to  describe  the  real  effects  of 
such  a state  of  things  upon  the  people  of  the  country.  A 
system  of  espionage  is  in  vogue  of  the  most  disgusting  and 
degrading  character a system  so  complete  as  to  extend 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land,  embracing 
society  in  all  its  ramifications,  and  reaching  individuals  of 
every  condition  in  every  part  of  the  world.  To  this,  more 
than  to  any  other  cause,  we  may  trace  the  corruption  that 
prevails  in  every  department  of  the  public  service ; glory, 
Justice,  dignity,  and  place  being  often  the  fruit  of  bribery, 
humiliation,  treachery,  and  deceit.  There  is  no  favor,  no 
place,  no  man,  that  money  will  not  buy ; and  woe  to  him 
who  prides  himself  upon  his  honor,  his  independence,  or  his 
knowledge  of  right  and  wrong. 

In  pursuit  of  the  phantom  that  troubles  his  repose,  that 
irritates  the  worst  and  conceals  the  best  principles  of  his 
character,  and  in  pursuance  of  those  maxims  of  supremacy 
established  by  Catherine,  the  Emperor  Nicholas  has,  by  a 
word,  vitiated  the  charter  which  secured  to  the  aristocracy 
certain  personal  rights  and  privileges.  To  detain  this  aris- 
tocracy beneath  his  own  eye,  to  prevent  their  inhaling  the 
air  of  foreign  freedom,  he  forbids  them  to  reside  abroad,  and 
if  disobeyed,  he  appropriates  their  property  to  the  state.  At 
the  same  time  renegade  foreigners,  or  a new  class  of  nobles 
from  the  army,  fill  the  posts  of  honor  and  of  profit.  The 
remnants  of  that  body  which  elected  the  first  Romanoff  to 
the  Imperial  dignity,  are  not  only  deprived  of  all  ability  to 
serve  the  country,  but  are  persecuted  with  a degree  of 
resentment  as  extraordinary  as  it  is  unjust.  In  this  respect 


THE  RUSSIAN  CHURCH.  2‘i5 

as  in  many  others,  the  measures  of  his  Majesty  are  perfectly 
unaccountable ; and  whether  they  are  the  result  of  his  own 
reflection  or  his  own  passions,  or  the  result  of  the  reflections 
or  the  passions  of  his  counsellors,  they  show  what  history 
has  often  exemplified,  “ that  public  employments  and  power 
improve  the  understanding  of  men  in  a less  degree  than  they 
pervert  their  views.” 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  efforts  of  the  domestic  policy 
of  the  Emperor,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a part  of  the  system  upon 
which  he  expects  to  sustain  the  undeviating  sources  of  his 
sovereignty,  is  in  the  centralization  of  the  government  and 
the  assimilation  of  the  people  of  every  portion  of  the  Em- 
pire to  one  religion,  one  language,  and  one  set  of  habits  and 
customs.  The  Latin  Church,  at  one  time  the  only  church 
of  Poland,  has  almost  disappeared  from  that  country,  and 
beneath  the  efforts  of  the  Propaganda  of  the  Greek  doctrines, 
the  Lutheran  population  of  Finland  and  the  provinces  of  the 
Baltic,  are  yielding  up  the  faith  which  in  this  part  of  the 
north  was  established  by  the  great  Gustavus.  By  force, 
intimidation,  by  reward  or  punishment,  the  wretched  people 
of  all  these  lands  are  compelled  to  bow  to  the  Greek  altar, 
and  perpetual  imprisonment  is  the  doom  of  him  who,  having 
entered,  would  retreat  from  the  bosom  of  the  church.  With 
the  Russian  creed,  which  teaches  the  divine  authority  of  the 
Czar, — the  representative  of  God  on  earth,  and  to  dispute 
whose  will  is  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  Most  High, — 
comes  the  Russian  language  and  Russian  customs,  estab- 
lishing, as  far  as  can  be  established  by  such  methods,  the 
influence  of  the  Russian  government.  On  the  south-eastern 
borders  of  the  Empire,  and  about  the  countries  of  the  Cas- 
pian, other  measures  have  been  resorted  to.  equally  as  in- 

10* 


226 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


consistent  with  every  notion  of  morality.  Persia  is  at  this 
moment  little  better  than  a desolate  frontier  province  of 
Russia,  and  the  principalities  of  Wallachia  and  Servia  are 
overrun  and  demoralized  by  Russian  agents.  As  we  have 
said  before,  the  great  object  sought  for  in  these  extraordi- 
nary proceedings  is  to  guarantee  the  security  of  the  Imperial 
authority ; and  this  is  the  great  principle  that  has  actuated 
the  present  Emperor,  in  every  public  undertaking  of  his 
reign.  It  has  impeded  every  act  of  public  benefit.  What- 
ever was  intended  by  him  to  be  really  and  truly  a public 
blessing,  has  completely  failed,  from  his  endeavors  to  turn 
its  action  to  the  advantage  of  the  crown.  Such  causes  as 
these  have  prevented  the  liberation  of  the  serfs,  and  thrown 
impediments  in  the  way  of  the  improvements  which  have 
been  promised,  but  never  carried  into  effect. 

The  complicated  and  confused  collections  of  contradic- 
tory ukases,  hardly  deserve  to  be  called  the  laws  of  a 
country.  The  Council  of  Moscow,  of  which  we  have 
spoken,  assembled  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  revising  and 
correcting  these,  and  forming  them  into  a regular  code,  but 
by  the  care  of  Catherine,  nothing  was  done  but  to  discover 
precedents  in  support  of  her  pretensions,  and  to  destroy  all 
data  which  appeared  to  conflict  with  her  supremacy.  More 
than  forty  years  have  been  now  employed  in  collecting  the 
remaining  ukases.  Count  Speranski,  with  the  sanction 
of  the  Emperor,  devoted  himself  to  this  task.  He  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  vast  volumes  of  matter.  But  it  has 
been  found  that  many  of  the  old  laws  are  much  too  liberal, 
while  the  eternal  ukases  of  his  majesty,  the  continual  ex- 
pressions of  his  absolute  will,  triumph  over  every  effort  to 
arrive  at  any  regular  system.  The  court,  having  jurisdic- 


JUDICIAL  PROCEEDINGS. 


227 


tion  in  all  minor  matters,  is  called  the  Tribunal  of  the  Dis- 
trict. The  next  in  importance  is  called  the  Tribunal  of 
the  Province.  The  majority  of  the  members  composing 
these  courts,  may  decide  any  question  brought  up  for  their 
adjudication.  From  either  of  these  a cause  may  be  carried 
up  on  the  appeal  of  either  party,  to  the  department  of  the 
Senate — the  members  of  which  are  obliged  in  all  cases  to 
decide  unanimously.  Notwithstanding  this  unanimous  de- 
cision, however,  the  attorney-general  or  representative  of 
the  interests  of  the  crown,  may  carry  the  case  to  the  gen- 
eral assembly  of  the  Senate,  which  must  decide  by  a major- 
ity of  two-thirds.  The  opinion  of  this  body  must  next  be 
submitted  to  the  minister  of  justice,  who  may  veto  or  place 
the  whole  proceedings  before  the  Council  of  the  Empire,  a 
sort  of  supreme  court,  combining  both  legislative  and  ju- 
dicial powers  in  certain  cases.  The  decrees  of  this  court 
must  finally  receive  the  Imperial  sanction.  Now  it  is  to  be 
observed,  that  the  Senate  and  the  Imperial  Council  are  com- 
posed of  old  generals,  superannuated  diplomats,  poets  and 
others,  who  are  readily  influenced,  and  who  would  never 
read  if  they  had  the  time,  immense  folios,  containing  the 
pleadings  in  a case.  An  analysis  is  therefore  ordered  to  be 
made  by  the  clerks  in  attendance,  who  will  insert,  upon 
payment  from  either  party,  whatever  points  they  may  think 
proper  for  the  instruction  of  the  learned  judges.  Such  is 
the  practice  in  civil  cases,  and  such  the  construction  of  the 
courts  supposed  to  be  versed  in  the  laws,  which  after  the 
labor  of  forty  years,  are  not  yet  revised  and  corrected.  In 
criminal  cases,  the  summary  and  speedy  process  of  courts- 
martial  is  preferred.  Although  the  Emperor  has  seen  the 
evil  effects  of  such  proceedings,  and  prepared  a new  penal 


2 28  THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

code,  he  will  meet  with  the  same  difficulties  in  his  attempts 
to  rectify,  from  the  constant  interference  of  his  will  with 
his  previously  expressed  opinions.  “ The  time,”  says  De 
Lorme,  “ at  which  the  power  of  administering  justice  to 
individuals  is  separated  from  the  military  power,  (an  event 
which  happens  sooner  or  later  in  different  countries,)  is  the 
real  era  of  a system  of  laws  in  a nation.” 

It  would  be  folly  to  suppose  that  by  internal  revolutions 
— by  the  dismemberment  of  the  Empire,  or  other  violent 
proceedings,  that  Russia  can  be  placed  in  a line  of  march 
towards  the  position  now  occupied  by  the  constitutional 
States  of  Europe.  Revolutions  have  been  attempted,  the 
lives  of  the  Imperial  persons  have  been  taken  by  conspir- 
ators, but  despotism  has  survived  them  all ; indeed,  rather 
derived  an  impetus  from  these  unnatural  and  feeble  ob- 
structions to  its  progress.  It  has  arisen  with  renewed  vigor 
from  the  anarchy  which  for  a moment  threatened  its  over- 
throw ; from  anarchy  which  first  deprives  society  of  its  nat- 
ural liberty,  and  which  always  has  been,  and  always  will 
be,  the  ruin  of  all  free  governments,  not  properly  balanced 
between  liberty  and  law.  It  is  not  then  in  war,  revolution, 
anarchy,  or  violence,  that  we  must  look  for  the  political  re- 
generation of  such  a country  as  Russia.  There  is  nothing 
in  the  condition  or  circumstances  of  the  people  to  warrant 
any  such  conclusions  ; on  the  contrary,  we  would  as  soon  be 
disposed  to  look  for  a thorough  and  effective  reform,  arising 
from  the  disposition  or  the  wishes  of  the  despot,  as  from  the 
ignorance  and  barbarity  of  the  mass  ; for  “ it  would  be  as 
wrong  to  suppose  that  no  virtue  can  reside  in  the  head  of 
the  government,  as  to  believe  that  a fair  administration  of 
justice  can  originate  from  a debased  and  degraded  people.” 


INFLUENCE  OF  THE  EMPEROR. 


229 


The  influence  of  the  character  of  the  Russian  Emperor, 
who  unites  in  his  person  the  majesty,  both  civil  and  relig- 
ious of  the  realm,  who  combines  the  legislative  and  judicial 
functions,  not  by  a fiction  of  law,  but  de  jure  and  de  facto ; 
can  scarcely  be  imagined.  But  this  influence  of  the  Em- 
peror has  not  been  used  for  the  political  and  moral  regen- 
eration of  his  people ; were  it  not  for  another  and  higher 
influence,  an  influence  which  gives  him  more  care  and 
more  anxiety  than  all  the  world  besides,  we  might  despair 
of  finding  a hope  for  Russia,  beyond  that  one  afforded  us  in 
the  reflection,  that  the  best  principles  of  human  liberty  are 
sometimes  developed  in  despotic  states. 

Happily  for  mankind,  there  is  none  who  can  escape  the 
power  of  this  age ; and  no  one  can  tell  how  great  may  be 
its  influence  upon  the  princes  and  people  of  the  Russian 
Empire.  The  exercise  of  despotic  power  has  always  been 
precarious,  in  ages  which  could  not  boast  the  superior  in- 
telligence of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  day  is  past,  when 
despotism  can  contend  successfully  against  the  ceaseless 
encroachments,  and  the  sure  though  almost  imperceptible 
advances  of  public  freedom.  Russia,  of  all  existing  despo- 
tisms, is  most  exposed  to  the  spirit  of  the  age ; for  having 
entered  the  family  of  the  nations  of  the  west,  she  must 
finally  receive  the  rules  and  regulations  by  which  that  fam- 
ily is  generally'governed.  Retreat  is  impossible.  The  un- 
conquerable spirit  of  intelligence,  ever  on  the  advance,  too 
vigilant  and  too  crafty  for  the  sentinel,  passes  the  barrier 
unseen,  and  whispers  things,  which  will  one  day  be  pro- 
claimed aloud.  We  have  seen  this  spirit  peacefully  creat- 
ing a constitutional  government  in  Norway,  and  in  Greece ; 
— we  have  seen  it  growing  and  expanding  until  nearly  all 


230 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Germany  rejoices  in  its  name,  and  we  witness  its  perfection 
and  most  glorious  results  in  the  incomparable  happiness  of 
our  blessed  country. 

This  is  the  spirit, — the  irresistible  spirit, — the  intelligent, 
thoughtful,  religious  spirit  of  the  age,  that  would  effect  re- 
form in  Russia.  It  clamors  at  the  portals  of  the  Empire  ; — 
it  taps  for  admittance  to  the  council  chamber ; — it  even  ad- 
dresses the  judgment  and  the  virtues  of  the  Czar,  and  begs 
to  be  established  beneath  the  fostering  aid  of  his  prodigious 
power.  It  would  wrest  from  him,  not  an  unmeaning  or  a 
momentary  triumph ; not  the  mere  shadow  or  the  name  of 
liberty ; but  some  substance  for  the  visible  creation  of  an 
enduring  fabric,  worthy  a great  king,  and  proper  for  the 
happiness  of  his  people.  It  would  tell  him  in  the  language 
of  Lord  Bacon,  “ that  men  in  their  innovations  should  fol- 
low the  example  of  time  itself,  which  innovateth  greatly, 
but  gently,  and  by  degrees  scarce  to  be  perceived.”  It 
would  teach  him  to  yield  up  prerogatives  which  must  be 
forced  from  his  successors.  It  would  assure  him  that  order 
and  tranquillity  would  flourish  better  beneath  the  civil  than 
the  military  law ; — that  those  attached  to  the  glebe  could  be 
declared  freemen  without  danger  to  the  state ; — that  relig- 
ious toleration,  and  perfect  security  of  person  and  of  prop- 
erty, would  make  him  the  Peter  of  the  19th  century,  and 
gratify  his  fondest  aspirations  after  fame.  Whether  he  will 
adopt  suggestions  which  must  have  forced  themselves  so 
often  upon  his  observation ; — whether  his  vanity  or  his  am- 
bition can  withstand  the  appeals  of  the  better  qualities  of 
his  head  and  heart,  it  is  not  for  us  to  say.  If,  however,  the 
remainder  of  the  life  of  so  energetic,  and  so  capable  a 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  AGE. 


231 


prince,  is  to  pass  as  heretofore,  in  combating  a civilization 
that  gathers  strength  with  time  and  circumstance,  we  must 
look  beyond  his  career,  for  a successor  who  may  not  be  so 
energetic,  or  so  able  to  resist  the  imperative  demands  of 
reason  and  intelligence. 


232 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Fasts  and  Festivals — Holidays — Central  Russia — Supremacy  of  the  Great 
Russian — His  Characteristics — Serfs — Their  Number  and  Condition — Their 
Privileges  and  Obligations — Their  Houses — Baths — Clothing — Personal 
Habits. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  fifteenth  of  August,  when 
thousands  of  bells  were  making  the  most  discordant  and 
deafening  chimes,  to  celebrate  the  termination  of  the  fast 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin ; — a fast  of  fifteen  days ; — we  left 
Moscow.  The  whole  Russian  year  seems  to  be  made  up 
of  fasts  and  festivals.  Besides  the  great  fast  of  Lent,  and 
this  one  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  there  is  St.  Philip’s  fast, 
which  begins  on  the  fifteenth  of  November,  and  lasts  until 
the  twenty-fifth  of  December.  Wednesdays  and  Fridays 
are  also  observed  as  weekly  fasts,  thus  making  for  the  year 
nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  days  of  fasting.  The  use  of 
milk,  eggs,  and  butter,  is  absolutely  prohibited  upon  some 
of  these  occasions,  and  so  strict  is  the  Russian  peasant  in 
his  observance,  that  nothing  can  induce  him  to  touch  the 
most  tempting  food.  During  the  greater  number  of  the 
fast  days,  however,  it  is  lawful  to  eat  fish ; but  as  he  can 
seldom  obtain  this  article  at  any  time,  and  as  his  ordi- 
nary diet  consists  of  milk,  salted  cabbage,  raw  carrots, 
mushrooms,  cucumbers,  linseed  oil,  and  black  bread,  made 
of  unbolted  rye  flour,  his  fast  may  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, be  considered  perpetual  in  duration. 


FASTS  AND  FESTIVALS. 


233 


Holidays  are  quite  as  numerous.  The  birthday,  the 
names-day,  the  days  of  betrothal,  marriage,  death,  the  day 
of  the  Emperor  and  of  St.  Nicholas,  and  the  festivals  of 
numerous  saints  and  heroes  unknown  beyond  the  realm 
of  Russia,  are  commemorated  to  a greater  or  less  extent, 
among  all  classes.  Drunkenness  is  the  invariable  resort  of 
the  peasant,  on  all  occasions  of  excitement,  and  this  pre- 
vails particularly  during  times  of  festival  and  fasting.  The 
church  does  not  limit  the  potations  of  its  devotees ; and  the 
state  derives  a considerable  item  of  its  revenue  from  the 
sale  of  brandy.  The  influence  exercised  by  the  civil  and 
religious  authority  is  so  complete,  that  not  an  apple  will  be 
eaten  before  the  fruits  are  blessed,  according  to  the  annual 
forms  and  ceremonies  of  the  church ; and  the  same  influ- 
ence, acting  upon  the  same  fears,  and  the  same  supersti- 
tions, might,  if  it  were  disposed,  immediately  limit  and 
abolish  the  manufacture  or  the  use  of  vodkee. 

We  left  Moscow  in  a talega,  the  common  travelling  car- 
riage of  the  country.  This  is  a long,  cradle-shaped  and 
clumsy  wagon,  with  a cover  over  the  hinder  part,  and 
having  a leather  apron  in  front.  It  has  no  springs,  nothing 
indeed  to  recommend  it  but  its  strength,  and  the  advantage 
with  which  the  traveller  can  extend  himself  at  length  within 
it.  Our  carriage  was  thought  too  frail  to  pass  over  the 
roads  we  were  to  follow ; we  accordingly  seated  ourselves 
upon  the  straw  which  was  laid  in  the  bottom  of  the  talega, 
and  commenced  the  journey.  Unfortunately  for  our  com- 
fort, the  invention  of  Me  Adam  had  not  been  applied  to  the 
improvement  of  roads  to  the  eastward  of  Moscow.  Very 
soon  after  leaving  the  barriers  of  that  city,  the  thumps  and 
bounces  most  feelingly  persuaded  us*  that  we  were  now 


234 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


beyond  the  limits  of  European  civilization.  A chausse  was 
being  made,  but  the  ordinary  highway  was  a beaten  track, 
that  from  time  out  of  mind,  had  been  ploughed  by  wheels 
innumerable,  and  never  been  repaired.  The  ruts  were 
deep  and  dangerous ; but  our  stout  talega,  drawn  by  four 
steeds  abreast,  went  rapidly  over  all  the  inequalities  of 
surface,  without  regard  to  its  own  injury  or  ours.  As  there 
are  no  inns  upon  the  roads  in  the  interior,  the  traveller  rides 
day  and  night,  for  days  together  ; and  rests  with  a certain 
degree  of  comfort  upon  the  cushions  and  furs  with  which 
he  usually  lines  the  vehicle.  We  frequently  saw  ladies  and 
gentlemen  reclining  as  they  rode,  upon  spring-mattresses  and 
pillows  of  eider  down,  and  seeming  as  snug  and  cosy  as  we 
were  forlorn  and  miserable  ; — for  having  neglected  all  these 
precautions,  and  vainly  trusting  to  a thin  layer  of  straw,  we 
suffered  tortures  almost  insupportable. 

Our  course  was  towards  the  south-east.  The  country 
appeared  populous  and  well  cultivated,  until  we  entered  the 
extensive  and  deserted  heaths,  which  occupy  a large  por- 
tion of  this  province.  These  presented  the  most  lonely  and 
desolate  aspect,  and  the  white  birch-trees  planted  on  either 
side  the  road,  with  the  most  provoking  regularity,  increased 
the  monotony  of  the  scene.  For  many  tedious  hours  we 
traversed  this  sand  barren,  and  at  last  entered  the  more 
fertile  districts  upon  the  borders  of  the  government  of 
Vladimir. 

We  were  now  in  the  very  centre  of  Russia  proper.  The 
woodlands  had  almost  entirely  disappeared ; the  villages 
were  numerous,  and  the  open  fields  on  every  side  in  a state 
of  cultivation.  Weliki  or  Great  Russia,  including  the  cen- 
tral provinces  of  which  Moscow  is  the  chief,  is  distinguished 


GREAT  RUSSIA. 


235 


as  the  nucleus  of  the  empire,  and  in  point  of  wealth  and  the 
industry  of  its  population,  is  justly  entitled  to  this  distinc- 
tion. That  portion  of  the  Slavonic  tribes  which  conquered 
this  country  and  intermingled  with  the  Finns,  lost  by  the 
latter  process  many  of  the  prominent  features  of  their  race ; 
— their  manners  and  customs  being  modified  and  at  length 
confounded  with  those  of  the  aborigines  of  the  country.  It 
is  in  this  way  we  would  account  for  the  striking  differences 
that  prevail  between  the  people  of  Great  and  Little  Russia, 
a people  springing  from  the  same  stock,  speaking  dialects 
of  the  same  language,  and  having  many  of  the  same  super- 
stitions and  customs.  The  Malo  or  Little  Russians,  who 
occupy  the  Ukraine,  and  the  south-western  parts  of  Russia, 
retain  the  marked  peculiarities  of  the  Slavi,  and  notwith- 
standing the  former  oppressions  of  the  Poles  and  Tartars, 
they  have  preserved  their  personal  freedom  and  escaped 
the  degradation  of  slavery.  They  are  gay,  frank,  and  gen- 
erous, and  are  easily  distinguished  among  the  Russians  for 
their  lofty  stature,  fine  features,  dark  hair  and  eyes.  It  is 
from  these  that  the  Cossacks  derive  their  origin. 

But  the  Malo  Russians  are  comparatively  insignificant, 
when  compared  with  the  numbers  and  the  influence  of  the 
Great  Russians.  The  rapacity  and  cunning  of  the  latter 
have  completely  overshadowed,  and  promise  to  absorb,  all 
the  distinctive  features  of  the  original  race.  The  Great 
Russian  is  predominant  among  the  various  people  of  the 
Empire.  His  power  is  in  the  ascendant,  and  he  stands  forth 
conspicuous,  the  type  of  his  name  and  nation.  He  is  com- 
monly distinguished  for  his  red  or  yellow  hair,  coarse  fea- 
tures, fine  teeth,  small  gray  eyes,  low  narrow  forehead,  and 
badly  proportioned  figure.  He  is  avaricious,  savage,  and 


236 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


sensual,  and  although  capable  of  great  endurance,  is  deficient 
in  elasticity  and  vigor.  His  muscular  strength  is  not  re- 
markable, but  his  passive  resistance  of  privation  and  fatigue, 
and  his  obstinacy  under  the  most  severe  and  painful  pun- 
ishment, is  almost  incredible.  Many  of  these  peculiar  traits 
he  derives  from  the  Finns,  with  whom  he  has  amalgamated, 
and  with  whom  for  centuries  he  has  existed  in  a servile 
state.  The  Great  Russian  lives  to  an  extreme  old  age, — 
longer  upon  an  average  than  the  man  of  any  other  country. 
His  generative  vigor  is  remarkable.  In  central  Russia 
the  increase  of  the  population  is  beyond  all  former  prece- 
dent in  Europe.  While  the  natives  of  the  conquered  prov- 
inces are  diminishing  with  fearful  rapidity,  the  population 
of  the  whole  Empire,  refreshed  from  this  exhaustless  source, 
counts  every  year  another  million  among  its  multitudes. 
Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands,  in  a perpetual  stream, 
flow  from  this  fountain  head,  into  the  vast  regions  of  the 
north,  east,  south  and  west.  In  every  country  and  among 
every  people,  beneath  the  sceptre  of  the  Czar,  the  Weliki 
Russian  will  be  found,  asserting  the  supremacy  of  his  race, 
and  showing  his  skill  and  cunning.  All  the  tribes  with 
* whom  he  comes  in  contact  yield  to  his  activity,  and  dwindle 
in  significance  before  the  progress  of  his  encroachments. 
He  even  penetrates  beyond  the  frontiers  of  the  Empire. 
While  he  profits  as  a merchant,  he  is  often  the  secret  agent 
of  his  country.  His  advance  precedes  the  march  of  armies, 
and  his  aggressions  pave  the  way  to  conquest.  As  he  is 
persevering  in  the  pursuit  of  gain,  so  is  he  dishonest ; as  he 
is  ignorant,  so  does  he  hold  all  other  nations  in  contempt ; 
and  as  he  is  superstitious,  so  does  he  believe  that  the  Rus- 
sian Empire  is  to  be  universal,  and  attributes  to  the  Rus- 


THE  PEASANTRY. 


237 


sian  people,  a great  mission  for  the  social  regeneration  of 
mankind. 

It  is  from  the  spirit  for  conquest  and  invasion,  generated 
by  barbarism  and  fanaticism  such  as  this,  that  the  worst  of 
evils  are  to  be  apprehended.  Under  any  form  of  government 
it  is  vicious  in  its  tendency ; and  when  fostered  beneath  a 
military  despotism,  and  directed  by  ambitious  leaders,  has 
been,  and  will  be,  especially  dangerous  to  the  peace  and 
safety  of  mankind.  Besides  this  free  and  floating  mass, 
whose  migrations,  like  those  of  the  ancient  Scythians,  are 
continual,  there  are  forty  millions  of  serfs  in  Great  Russia, 
the  largest  slave  population  in  the  world.  Forty  millions 
of  men, — glebse  adscripti, — attached  to  the  soil,  bought  and 
sold  with  the  soil,  on  which  they  are  born,  and  on  which 
they  die.  Upwards  of  twenty  millions  of  these  serfs  belong 
to  the  crown,  the  remainder  to  the  nobles.  Previous  to  the 
sixteenth  century,  the  peasantry  of  Great  Russia  retained 
the  privilege  of  moving  from  place  to  place,  held  the  free 
disposal  of  their  persons,  and  sold  their  services  for  a term 
of  years.  In  1598,  when  Boris  Gudenof  ascended  the  throne, 
and  sought  the  support  of  the  nobles,  he  made  a law  by  which 
the  peasant  was  bound  to  the  soil,  and  became  the  property 
of  the  noble. 

The  value  of  an  estate  in  Weliki  Russia,  depends  more 
upon  the  number  of  its  peasants  than  its  acres.  Some  oc- 
cupy a vast  extent  of  country,  and  contain  as  many  as  one 
hundred  thousand  souls.  The  proprietor  pays  an  annual 
tax  of  about  one  dollar  and  sixty  cents  upon  every  serf. 
The  condition  of  the  latter  varies  according  to  the  circum- 

O 

stances  and  disposition  of  the  master.  As  a general  rule, 
he  has  a house  and  a piece  of  ground,  and  the  privilege  of 


238 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


feeding  a cow  upon  the  common  near  the  village.  For 
these  he  pays  with  his  labor.  The  steward  of  the  lord  as- 
signs him  a daily  task,  which  is  easily  accomplished  before 
noon.  The  remaining  hours  are  at  his  own  disposal,  except 
in  harvest,  and  certain  other  times,  when  he  and  his  wife 
must  turn  into  the  field.  He  cannot  leave  the  estate,  or 
learn  a trade,  without  permission.  The  master  must  main- 
tain him,  furnish  him  with  food  and  medicine  when  it  is 
necessary,  and  is  liable  to  a fine,  if  he  is  found  destitute  or 
begging  upon  the  highway.  Stray  serfs,  runaways,  or  peas- 
ants, whether  free  or  bond,  roaming  about  without  a pass- 
port, are  detained  and  advertised ; and  if  not  reclaimed  or 
relieved  by  the  owner  or  some  responsible  person,  are  sold 
at  public  sale.  The  proprietor  cannot  oblige  the  serf  to 
marry  contrary  to  his  inclination ; and  on  the  other  hand, 
the  clergy  cannot  marry  him  without  the  permission  of  the 
master.  The  serf  cannot  be  sold  off  the  estate,  or  sepa- 
rated from  his  family,  and  many  other  humane  provisions 
have  been  made  for  his  happiness  and  safety. 

But  it  is  futile  to  speak  of  rules  and  regulations  in  a coun- 
try, where  wealth  and  birth  give  despotic  power.  The  pro- 
prietor is  governed  in  his  action  entirely  by  his  interest,  and 
he  treats  his  peasants  precisely  as  he  pleases.  He  sells  them 
whenever  a good  price  is  offered,  and  he  sends  them  wher- 
ever it  suits  his  convenience.  He  makes  them  weave  or 
plough ; he  hires  them  out  by  the  month  or  year,  just  as  it 
pleases  him  to  do.  In  the  same  way,  he  may  treat  them 
with  kindness  or  with  blows ; but  as  they  are  generally  re- 
garded as  insensible  and  ungrateful,  they  get  more  kicks 
than  favors.  The  serf  cannot  accuse  the  master.  If  the 
blows  of  the  latter  cause  death  within  three  days,  he  is 


CONDITION  OF  THE  SERFS. 


239 


fined ; but  if  the  serf  lives  more  than  three  days  after  severe 
punishment,  the  master  is  not  liable.  If  the  serf  is  killed 
without  premeditation,  by  any  other  than  the  master,  the 
killer  pays  the  master  three  hundred  and  eight  dollars.  If 
he  is  killed  with  premeditation,  there  is  no  indemnification 
for  the  master,  and  the  murderer  is  responsible  to  the  police. 

Sometimes  the  peasant  obtains  permission  to  leave  the 
estate  and  follow  some  trade  in  the  large  towns,  upon  the 
condition  of  paying  to  the  owner  a certain  share  of  the 
profits  of  his  business.  Instances  are  known  where  the 
serfs  have  become  rich,  and  offered  large  sums  of  money  for 
their  freedom.  In  some  cases,  freedom  has  been  given 
them,  in  others,  it  has  been  refused.  Emancipation  is  sought 
for  by  the  peasant,  more  to  satisfy  his  propensity  to  trade, 
than  from  any  desire  to  relieve  himself  from  the  odium  or 
burdens  of  servitude.  The  posadki,  or  freedmen,  cannot 
hold  lands  or  serfs ; but  they  have  other  privileges,  and  in 
the  distant  provinces  display,  as  we  have  mentioned,  all  the 
natural  vigor  of  the  race,  and  are  distinguished  for  industry 
and  the  most  indefatigable  perseverance  in  the  pursuit  of 
gain.  But  the  serf  has  not  the  same  inducements,  and  ex- 
hibits none  of  the  activity  and  industry  so  remarkable  in 
the  posadki.  He  is  the  creature  of  apathy,  and  all  the 
stirring  qualities  of  his  nature  are  latent  and  undeveloped. 
He  works  as  he  is  directed,  and  manifests  the  same  rude  abil- 
ity in  any  employment  he  may  follow.  He  is  ordered  to  be 
a musician,  a mechanic,  or  a manufacturer,  and  becomes 
either  of  these  with  astonishing  facility,  though  he  excels  in 
none.  Neither  the  fear  of  the  lash,  nor  the  promise  of  re- 
ward, can  force  him  to  work  with  the  plane  or  saw ; but 
with  the  hatchet,  which  he  always  carries  at  his  girdle,  he 


240 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


will  hew  the  forest  trees,  prepare  his  logs  and  plank,  build 
a house,  and  make  his  furniture.  He  never  exerts  his  full 
strength.  If  the  burden  is  a heavy  one,  he  calls  for  assist- 
ance. It  is  a common  thing  to  see  a hundred  men  holding 
to  a rope,  and  hauling  a stone  or  piece  of  timber  that  would 
have  been  handled  with  ease  by  twelve  or  twenty  English- 
men. On  such  occasions,  before  the  united  effort  is  made, 
the  Russian  workmen  sing  for  two  or  three  minutes  in 
chorus,  and  the  end  of  the  song  is  the  signal  for  the  pull 
altogether.  After  two  or  three  pulls,  they  stop,  and  the 
singing  begins  again,  and  so  on  to  the  completion  of  the 
work, — more  than  half  the  time  at  least  being  passed  in 
these  musical  interludes.  The  task  is  therefore  often  a light 
one,  and  easily  performed.  When  it  is  finished,  the  laborer 
is  at  liberty  to  employ  himself  as  he  pleases.  Should  he  do 
double  duty,  however,  he  would  not  be  rewarded,  and  in- 
stances are  known,  within  the  observation  of  the  writer, 
where  the  offer  of  the  peasant  to  perform  an  extra  task  had 
been  rejected,  and  for  the  reason,  that  any  such  proceeding 
was  unusual,  and  calculated  to  produce  confusion.  So  the 
serf,  leaving  his  wife  to  cultivate  his  garden  and  tend  the 
loom,  loiters  away  the  balance  of  the  day  in  indolence . 

The  Russian  peasantry  reside  in  hamlets,  which  are 
scattered  about  upon  the  various  estates.  These  hamlets 
vary  in  extent  and  population,  but  are  much  the  same  in 
appearance.  Those  which  are  built  upon  the  road,  form  a 
long  straggling  street  of  low  log-houses,  which  are  fre- 
quently separated,  the  one  from  the  other,  by  an  inclosure 
or  garden.  The  greater  number  of  these  habitations  re- 
semble the  miserable  chalets  of  the  upper  Alps.  The  bet- 
ter class  have  rudely  carved,  and  painted  gables,  upon  the 


HOUSES  OF  THE  PEASANTRY. 


241 


road,  and  a long  roof  that  runs  back  and  covers  house,  and 
barn,  and  stable.  They  are  all  built  of  pine  logs,  neatly 
dovetailed  into  each  other  at  the  angles,  and  filled  in  with 
a layer  of  moss.  If  the  building  is  of  two  stories,  the  up- 
per room,  which  is  generally  fifteen  or  sixteen  feet  square, 
and  six  or  seven  feet  high,  is  used  as  the  family  apartment. 
A stair  or  ladder  conducts  to  this  chamber.  A small  win- 
dow admits  the  light.  Long  wooden  benches  are  placed 
round  three  sides  the  room,  and  the  peetch,  or  stove  occu- 
pies the  fourth  side.  A table,  two  or  three  stools,  a teapot, 
a few  bowls,  plates,  and  wooden  spoons,  earthen-ware 
dishes,  old  sheepskins,  spinning-wheels,  bunches  of  flax 
and  hemp,  and  an  image  of  the  Virgin  suspended  in  a cor- 
ner, constitute  the  sum  total  of  the  utensils  and  the  furni- 
ture of  the  Russian  cottage.  Some  may  have  a little  more, 
but  by  far  the  greater  number  have  not  so  much.  All  the 
inmates  eat  and  sleep  in  this  one  room.  They  lie  upon  the 
floor  or  benches  in  the  summer  time,  and  in  the  winter 
upon  the  stove.  The  Russian  stove  is  built  of  brick  and 
mortar.  In  the  palaces  they  are  of  different  proportions, 
faced  with  porcelain,  and  ornamented  with  various  devices. 
In  the  hovels  they  are  uniform  in  shape,  and  resemble  a 
baker’s  oven,  with  a broad  flat  top,  upon  which  the  men, 
women,  and  children,  love  to  sleep  when  the  nights  are 
cold.  The  stove  is  also  used  for  baking  bread,  cooking 
food,  and  for  the  vapor  bath. 

For  the  latter  purpose,  the  ordinary  temperature  of  the 
room,  which  ranges  from  seventy  to  eighty  degrees,  is  in- 
creased to  one  hundred  and  twenty  of  Fahrenheit.  By 
throwing  water  every  few  minutes  upon  the  heated  surface 
of  the  stove,  the  temperature  is  raised,  and  the  room  filled 

11 


242 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


with  steam.  Then  perspiration  flows  from  every  pore  ; 
the  inmates  of  the  cottage,  in  a state  of  nudity,  and  exult- 
ing in  their  agreeable  sensations,  whip  and  rub  each  other, 
with  twigs  of  the  birch,  and  pour  pailsfull  of  cold  water  over 
the  body,  or  run  out  and  roll  in  the  snow.  Almost  every 
week  the  peasant  indulges  in  this  bath.  It  is  his  panacea 
for  all  diseases,  and  although  regarded  as  a luxury  he  has 
imported  from  the  east,  is  as  common  a practice  among  the 
Indians  of  North  America,  as  it  is  among  the  Orientals. 

In  all  the  cities  of  Russia,  there  are  public  and  private 
bathing-houses.  The  latter  contain  dressing-rooms,  filled 
with  every  convenience  and  comfort ; the  person  taking 
the  bath  is  shampooed  and  rubbed  down  by  the  people 
in  attendance.  The  public  baths  are  frequented  by  the 
lower  orders.  The  price  of  admission  is  about  four  cents. 
Soldiers  and  mugicks  who  resort  to  them,  usually  club 
together  for  mutual  assistance  in  the  manipulations,  and 
buy  soap  enough  for  the  complete  lustration  of  the  party. 
A hundred  of  them  together,  covered  with  lather,  smoking 
with  steam,  and  scrubbing  eacn  other,  is  not  an  unusual 
sight ; while  in  an  adjoining  apartment,  may  be  seen  as 
many  women  in  the  same  predicament.  From  such  sights, 
and  sounds,  and  smells,  St.  Anthony  defend  us  ! Not  long 
since,  the  sexes  mingled  indiscriminately,  and  in  spite  of  the 
precautions  of  the  police,  and  ordinances  to  the  contrary, 
male  and  female,  old  and  young,  might  be  seen  in  the  sum- 
mer time,  swimming  perfectly  naked,  and  all  together,  about 
the  islands  in  the  Neva. 

Notwithstanding  the  bath,  the  Russian  is  a filthy  animal. 
His  cabin  is  very  dirty;  for  want  of  ventilation,  and  from 
the  incessant  heat  of  the  peetch,  filled  with  an  atmosphere 


DRESS  OE  THE  PEASANTRY. 


243 


pestiferous  to  all  but  him.  He  wears  a sheepskin  almost 
all  the  yeai*.  This  indeed,  is  the  costume  of  the  country, 
both  for  the  men  and  women.  It  is  put  on  like  a coat, 
descends  below  the  knee,  and  is  fastened  with  a girdle. 
Pieces  of  cloth  wrapped  about  the  legs  serve  as  stockings, 
and  the  feet  are  protected  by  shoes  of  linden  bark.  The 
neck  is  always  open  and  exposed  to  the  cold,  and  a cap  of 
yellow  wolfskin  covers  the  head  and  ears.  The  wool  of  the 
sheep  is  worn  next  the  person ; the  skin  turned  to  the  wea- 
ther. In  constant  contact  with  different  substances,  it 
takes  a dark-brown  color,  and  a polish  like  that  of  parch- 
ment. In  this  dress,  and  with  the  face  and  neck  concealed 
in  a thick  coarse  beard,  the  Russian  looks  very  like  a bear. 
A sheepskin  lasts  him  for  a life-time ; as  he  eats,  sleeps, 
and  works  in  it,  for  months  and  years  together,  it  abounds 
with  vermin  and  vile  odors.  If  this  notorious  and  most  dis- 
gusting want  of  cleanliness  was  confined  to  the  peasantry, 
we  might  attribute  it  to  extreme  destitution ; but  as  it  per- 
vades all  classes  of  society,  and  prevails  to  a greater  or  less 
extent  in  and  about  the  houses  and  hotels  of  many  of  the 
higher  orders  of  the  country,  it  is  impossible  to  account  for 
it,  except  by  supposing  that  it  results  from  the  absolute  ig- 
norance of  the  nation  generally,  of  any  proper  idea  of  per- 
sonal neatness  and  refinement. 

Nor  is  the  Great  Russian  peasant  so  destitute  as  is  gen- 
erally imagined.  His  food,  his  raiment,  and  his  habitation 
have  been  described,  and  these  are  sufficient  always  to  pro- 
tect him  from  cold  and  hunger.  The  absolute  degree  of 
bodily  comfort  he  enjoys,  is  better  by  far  than  that  of  thou- 
sands in  Great  Britain,  and  is  immeasurably  superior  to  that 
of  the  Irish  cottiers.  Personal  and  unprejudiced  observation 
in  both  countries  has  confirmed  this  opinion. 


214 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Agricultural  Products — Hemp— Manufactures — Tariff — Russian  Statistics — 
Ships  and  Commerce — American  Products — Cotton — Tobacco — Influence 
of  Commerce — Free  Trade. 

The  soil  and  productions  of  the  province  of  Vladimir  and 
Moscow  are  much  the  same.  The  cerelia  are  largely  cul- 
tivated, but  so  numerous  is  the  population,  and  so  great  the 
consumption,  that  a large  quantity  of  grain  is  annually  im- 
ported from  the  adjoining  districts.  Flax  is  grown  in 
Vladimir  in  immense  quantities.  It  is  not  harvested  until 
the  weather  becomes  quite  cold.  After  being  cut,  it  re- 
mains in  the  field  for  some  time,  exposed  to  the  frost  and 
rain. 

We  saw  large  patches  of  hemp.  By  far  the  greatest 
quantity,  and  the  best  of  the  Russian  hemp,  is  said  to  be  the 
produce  of  the  central  provinces.  Much  care  is  observed 
in  its  cultivation.  The  ground  is  well  tilled  and  manured 
to  receive  the  seed,  and  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  plant 
springs  above  the  ground,  the  male  and  female  stalks  are 
separated.  When  it  is  ripe,  it  is  pulled  by  the  hand,  and 
placed  in  clear  water  to  soak  until  it  has  lost  its  cohesive 
qualities.  When  it  has  lost  its  cohesion,  that  is  to  sav,  when 
the  husk  peels  easily  off,  it  is  baked  upon  the  oven  in  the 
cottage  until  perfectly  dry.  That  portion  which  is  so  dried 
in  the  winter  time,  is  called  winter  hemp,  and  is  readily 


HEMP. 


245 


known  by  the  smell  and  color,  which  it  is  supposed  to  take 
from  the  smoke  and  effluvia  of  the  cottage.  That  portion 
which  is  dried  on  the  oven  in  the  spring  time,  does  not  par- 
ticipate in  these  advantages  to  the  same  extent,  is  of  a dif- 
ferent hue,  though  the  texture  is  the  same,  and  is  called 
spring  hemp.  In  this  dry  state,  it  is  taken  to  the  ware- 
house, where  it  is  bruised  in  a mill  of  some  kind,  which  the 
Russians  were  not  disposed  to  show  to  strangers ; from  this 
mill  it  is  sent  to  the  hackle,  and  thence  passed  to  a third 
hand,  and  dressed  by  the  process  called  swingling.  After 
this  it  is  assorted,  inspected,  packed,  and  sent  to  the  factory 
or  to  market.  The  tow,  or  leavings  of  the  dressing,  is  ex- 
ported principally  to  Scotland,  and  manufactured  into  cloth. 

It  was  impossible  to  ascertain,  with  any  degree  of  cer- 
tainty, the  particulars  of  the  process  by  which  the  Russian 
hemp,  either  in  its  cultivation  or  manufacture,  has  been 
enabled  to  maintain  its  supposed  superiority  over  that  of  the 
United  States.  The  ignorance  or  jealousy  of  those  who  are 
engaged  in  the  growth  or  sale  of  this  great  staple,  have 
generally  limited  the  inquiries  of  the  stranger  upon  this 
subject,  and  the  same  difficulties  attend  the  investigations 
of  those  who  have  endeavored  to  inform  themselves  as  to 
the  manufacture  of  sheet-iron,  and  other  Russian  fabrics. 
The  great  desideratum  in  the  preparation  of  hemp  seems  to 
be  to  extract,  with  the  least  possible  injury  to  the  fibres  of 
the  plant,  the  gluey  or  sticky  substance  with  which  it  is 
filled.  The  less  it  contains  of  this  substance,  the  more  tar 
will  it  absorb ; and  upon  its  capability  of  doing  this,  without 
injury,  depends  much  of  its  value.  The  difference  in  this 
respect  between  American  and  Russian  hemp,  may  result 
from  the  difference  between  water-rotting  and  dew-rotting, 


246 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


or  from  the  separation  of  the  male  and  female  stalks,  or 
from  the  mode  of  drying,  or  from  the  ultimate  system  of 
preparation.  Actual  experiment  must  test  which,  if  any  of 
these  processes,  make  the  distinction. 

The  cultivation  of  flax  and  hemp,  and  the  making  of 
canvas,  cordage,  sheeting,  table  linen,  and  linseed  oil,  are 
of  vast  consequence  and  immense  profit  to  these  prov- 
inces. The  making  of  leather,  soap,  candles,  tallow,  glass, 
paper,  copper,  and  iron,  have  also  been  successful,  and 
large  quantities  of  these  articles  are  annually  exported. 
The  cheapness  of  the  raw  material,  the  facility  and  sim- 
plicity of  the  process  by  which  it  is  worked  up,  and  the 
superabundance  of  labor,  have  enabled  the  Russians  of  sev- 
eral of  these  provinces  to  excel  in  particular  branches  of 
domestic  industry.  But  beyond  the  coarse  fabric  of  nat- 
ural productions,  few  of  the  arts  are  carried  to  any  degree 
of  perfection.  Although  extraordinary  efforts  are  being 
made  to  introduce  and  encourage  every  kind  of  manufac- 
ture, the  result  has  in  no  respect  been  attended  with  any 
real  benefit  to  the  country. 

Most  of  the  manufacturing  establishments  of  Russia  re- 
sult from  the  enterprise  of  the  Imperial  government,  and 
the  success  of  all  depends  to  a very  great  extent  upon 
the  continuance  of  the  Imperial  favor.  Great  sacrifices 
have  been  made  to  sustain  them ; and  although  little  can 
be  said  in  praise  of  their  productions,  exertions  to  build 
up  the  domestic  system  are  undiminished.  There  are 
instances  indeed,  where  certain  articles  have  succeeded ; 
but  this  is  altogether  owing  to  the  absence  of  foreign 
competition.  The  import  duties  levied  in  many  cases 
amount  to  prohibition,  and  the  manufacture  of  these  yield 


MANUFACTURES. 


*247 


enormous  profits  to  those  whose  means  enable  them  nearly 
to  monopolize  the  market. 

The  capital  invested  in  the  legitimate  pursuits  of  trade, 
in  and  about  St.  Petersburg,  amounts  to  less  than  one-half 
the  amount  employed  in  the  same  way  at  Boston ; and  it 
is  only  when  extraordinary  inducements  are  offered  to 
individuals  of  wealth,  that  the  means  of  establishing  any 
particular  branch  of  manufacture  can  be  obtained.  The 
certainty  of  receiving  an  immense  interest  upon  his  money, 
alone  induces  the  rich  noble  to  make  advances  for  any 
undertaking  whatever.  If  he  is  sure  of  the  favor  of  the 
government,  if  he  is  satisfied  there  will  be  no  competition 
from  abroad,  no  change  in  the  commercial  tariff,  he  en- 
gages in  the  manufacture  of  any  thing  that  will  reward 
him  with  an  immense  return.  He  is  perfectly  satisfied 
if  he  can  sell  his  goods,  and  utterly  indifferent  as  to  their 
quality.  Although  the  cost  of  labor  and  the  expense  of 
living  are  five  times  greater  in  England,  yet  the  English- 
man pays  fifty  per  cent,  less  than  the  Russian  for  his  cloth. 

The  fabrics  of  Moscow  alone  produce  annually  four 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  calico  ; four  hundred 
thousand  of  kataika  or  nankeen ; more  than  two  millions 
of  handkerchiefs  and  other  articles,  amounting  in  all  to 
forty  millions  of  archines, — nearly  thirty  two  millions  of 
yards, — of  which  the  value,  according  to  the  proprietors 
themselves,  amounts  to  more  than  six  millions  of  dollars. 

The  other  provinces  together  manufacture  goods  to 
nearly  the  same  amount.  These  productions  are  mostly 
sent  to  the  fair  at  Nischney  Novogorod,  and  sold  for 
exportation  to  China  and  Central  Asia.  Many  silk,  cot- 
ton and  woollen  fabrics  have  sprung  up  and  flourish  upon 


248 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  protective  system.  The  government  looks  with  great 
complacency  upon  its  apparently  successful  efforts ; re- 
wards with  a decoration  the  speculating  noble  for  what 
is  called  a patriotic  spirit,  while  the  Englishman  or  Ger- 
man employed  to  superintend  the  works  is  named  a gen- 
eral, and  permitted  to  appear  in  the  dress  of  an  officer 
of  the  engineer  corps.  It  is  in  this  way  that  the  manufac- 
tures of  Russia  have  been  fostered,  and  this  too,  without 
any  apparent  injury  to  the  commerce  of  the  country.  The 
Count  Cancrine,  late  minister  of  finance,  was  an  ardent 
supporter  of  the  high  tariff  theories.  He  referred  to  the 
increased  and  increasing  amount  of  the  public  revenues, 
derived  from  the  foreign  trade  of  the  country  during  his 
administration,  as  an  unanswerable  argument  in  support 
of  his  position.  Statistical  tables,  showing  an  immense 
increase  of  the  imports  and  exports,  were  produced ; the 
excellent  condition  of  the  public  funds,  and  the  general 
improvement  of  the  country,  were  all  attributed  to  the 
operation  of  the  high  tariff. 

A particular  reference  to  the  documents  of  the  minister 
would  be  improper  here,  nor  indeed  are  Russian  statistics 
worthy  the  slightest  credit  or  attention.  We  will  admit, 
however,  that  the  increase  of  the  commerce  of  the  coun- 
try has  been  very  great ; but  we  must  give  it,  as  our 
opinion,  that  this  increase  has  been  caused  by  the  natural 
increase  of  the  population  and  the  growing  prosperity  of 
the  country,  and  not  by  any  particular  laws  affecting  the 
import  or  export  trade.  As  well  may  we  ascribe  the  causes 
of  the  progress  and  improvement  of  the  United  States, 
from  1775  to  1800,  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution;  as  to 
suppose,  with  the  late  minister  of  finance,  that  the  pros- 


COMMERCE. 


249 


perity  of  Russia,  during  his  term  of  office,  is  to  be  traced 
to  his  hostility  to  free  trade.  The  commerce  of  the  coun- 
try has  undoubtedly  increased  ; but  it  is  the  opinion  of 
many  enlightened  Russians  that  it  would  have  increased 
in  a tenfold  degree,  if  the  notions  of  Count  Cancrine  on 
political  economy  had  never  been  embodied  into  actual 
law. 

From  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  vessels  arrive  annually  at 
Cronstadt.  Many  of  them  come  in  ballast,  and  all  depart 
freighted  with  the  various  products  of  the  empire.  That 
* there  should  be  so  extensive  a commerce,  notwithstanding 
the  heavy  restrictions,  is  only  another  indication  of  the  im- 
portance of  the  natural  productions  of  the  country.  Hemp, 
tallow,  flax,  wheat,  iron,  canvas,  and  cordage,  are  exported 
to  an  immense  amount,  to  England  and  the  south  and  west 
of  Europe.  There  is  no  country  in  Europe  whose  extent  of 
territory,  or  diversity  of  soil  and  climate  would  enable  it  to 
compete  with  Russia  in  the  production  of  these  great  sta- 
ples. The  United  States  alone  can  become  her  rival.  A 
few  years  since  feathers  were  one  of  the  principal  articles 
shipped  for  the  American  market.  At  present,  the  prepara- 
tion of  feathers  is  an  extensive  branch  of  business  in  the 
United  States.  The  demand  for  other  kinds  of  Russian 
produce,  on  American  account,  has  decreased  to  a very 
great  extent.  Samples  of  Missouri  hemp,  of  the  very  best 
description,  have  been  seen  in  our  markets ; our  iron  is  infe- 
rior to  none,  and  yet  the  canvas  with  which  we  dress  our 
ships,  and  a large  portion  of  the  iron  that  we  use,  is  sent  us 
from  the  north  of  Europe.  It  is  a well-known  and  surpris- 
ing fact,  that  within  a comparatively  recent  period,  large 
cargoes  of  Baltic  wheat  were  sent  to  the  United  States. 

11* 


250 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


When  the  great  sources  of  our  mineral  and  agricultural 
wealth  shall  have  been  properly  appreciated,  capital  and 
industry  judiciously  and  economically  applied  to  develop 
them,  a new  vigor  will  be  given  to  our  commerce. 

The  export  trade  of  the  United  States  to  Russia  is  not  of 
any  great  importance.  From  fifty  to  sixty  ships  arrive 
annually  at  Cronstadt  from  Boston,  New  York,  and  New 
Orleans.  Some  of  them  come  by  the  way  of  Rio  and  Ha- 
vana, with  coffee  or  sugar,  and  some  bring  cotton,  rice,  or 
lead, — the  principal  shipments  at  the  present  time.  Ameri- 
can cotton,  to  a large  amount,  reaches  St.  Petersburg  in 
British  bottoms,  and  it  is  said  to  be  preferred  by  the  Russian 
manufacturers,  after  it  has  been  assorted  by  the  Liverpool 
dealer.  The  sound  duties  upon  cotton  twist  are  lighter  than 
they  are  upon  the  raw  material.  This  has  been  a great  ad- 
vantage to  British  interests.  The  importation  of  American 
tobacco  has  been  of  very  little  consequence  since  the  tariff 
of  1839.  It  is  worth  six  times  as  much  per  pood  as  the  in- 
digenous plant,  and  is  greatly  esteemed  on  account  of  its 
superior  strength  and  flavor.  Segars  manufactured  at  Ant- 
werp and  Bremen,  from  the  American  leaf,  are  imported  in 
great  numbers,  and  sell  for  enormous  prices.  In  the  south 
and  east  of  the  Empire,  the  weed  of  Turkey  and  Persia  is 
used  in  pipes,  and  nothing  of  the  American  article  is  seen 
except  in  the  shape  of  a segar,  manufactured  at  Malta,  and 
introduced  through  the  ports  of  the  Black  Sea. 

The  American  trade  with  Russia  is  mostly  confined  to 
St.  Petersburg  and  Riga.  One  ship  arrives  annually  at 
Odessa,  from  the  United  States,  and  there  are  two  or  three 
vessels,  owned  at  Boston,  which  supply  the  garrison  at 
Kamtschatka  with  fresh  provisions.  The  communication 


COTTON. 


251 


between  that  distant  region  and  St.  Petersburg  is  by  no 
means  frequent.  There. is  a mail  only  twice  a year  between 
the  two  places,  and  the  governor  of  Kamtschatka  often 
receives  the  latest  news  from  head-quarters  via  Boston. 
When  his  watch  or  clock  is  out  of  order,  or  any  thing  else 
wants  “ fixing,”  he  sends  it  to  Sam  Slick,  by  one  of  these 
trading  vessels.  Such  is  the  commerce  of  Russia  and  the 
United  States. 

The  articles  hitherto  manufactured  in  Russia  are  of  a 
coarse  description,  and  such  as  are  only  used  by  the  army 
and  the  inferior  orders  of  the  people.  The  only  great  for- 
eign market  that  has  yet  been  found  for  them  is  Kiakhta, 
upon  the  frontiers  of  China,  where  they  are  bartered  for 
teas,  wares,  and  trinkets.  Nankeens  and  other  Chinese  stuffs 
were  formerly  taken  by  the  Russian  merchants  at  Kiakhta, 
but  this  is  no  longer  the  case.  The  cotton  fabrics  of  Bu- 
ell aria  and  the  east  continue  to  supply  the  wants  and  gratify 
the  peculiar  taste  of  the  Asiatic  portion  of  the  population ; 
and  such  has  been  the-  advance  of  civilization,  that  the 
importation  of  American  cotton,  extensive  as  it  is,  has  not 
diminished  the  demand  for  that  of  eastern  growth.  The 
introduction  of  the  latter,  though  trifling  compared  with 
the  former,  continues  to  increase. 

The  condition  of  the  serf  is  such,  however,  as  to  forbid 
any  decided  superiority  of  workmanship.  Not  that  his 
intelligence  is  so  far  above  his  actual  situation,  or  that  his 
servitude  is  so  hard  as  to  prevent  an  exhibition  of  his  skill. 
On  the  contrary,  his  ignorance  has  almost  seemed  suited  to 
a state  of  bondage,  while  his  prejudice  has  not  permitted 
him  to  adopt  the  tools  of  successful  labor.  A fatalist,  he 
3ares  but  little  for  the  future,  and  in  accident  or  misfortune 


252 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


he  sees  the  will  of  God.  Without  an  effort  or  a wish  to 
better  his  condition,  he  trusts  to  the  master,  who  must  feed 
him  when  he  is  hungry,  and  clothe  him  when  he  is  cold. 
Peter  the  Great  seems  to  have  been  aware  of  these  disad- 
vantages, and  while  he  did  all  that  good  policy  would  justify 
towards  emancipation,  he  encouraged  the  settlement  of  for- 
eigners, free  intercourse  with  foreign  states,  the  use  of  im- 
proved tools,  and  the  ridicule  of  old  habits  and  superstitions. 
Conqueror  and  innovator  as  he  was,  he  could  not  conquer 
custom,  nor  completely  change  the  relations  that  had  so  long 
existed  between  the  lord  and  vassal.  He  tried  in  every 
way  to  induce  the  Russian  to  cut  off  his  beard.  He  tried 
to  introduce  the  use  of  implements  of  a new  construction. 
His  efforts  were  in  vain,  and  to-day  the  Russian  merchant 
rejoices  in  his  beard,  and  the  Russian  mechanic  throws  aside 
the  hand-saw  and  the  chisel,  for  a clumsy  hatchet,  which  he 
handles  with  wonderful  dexterity.  In  the  progress  of  civili- 
zation these  prejudices  may  disappear,  and  the  talents  of  the 
Russian  artisan  be  displayed  to  more  advantage.  The  ver- 
satility of  his  genius  is  remarkable.  In  the  field  in  summer, 
in  the  factory  in  winter, — a soldier  to-day,  a sailor  to-mor- 
row,— he  shows  a capability  in  whatever  is  required  of  him 
that  is  truly  extraordinary.  In  imitation  he  has  no  supe- 
rior. He  is  cunning  to  effect  an  object  for  his  personal  grati- 
fication, and  in  a bargain  he  is  without  an  equal  in  the  world. 
When  it  was  represented  to  Peter  the  Great  that  the  banish- 
ment of  the  Jews  would  prevent  the  plunder  of  his  sim- 
ple subjects,  the  sagacious  monarch  is  said  to  have  replied, 
that  the  Jews  were  welcome  to  all  the  profits  they  could 
obtain  from  Russians.  But  as  long  as  the  Russian  is  a serf, 
—dependent  upon  a master  who  must  feed  and  clothe  him, 


INTERNAL  TRADE. 


253 


and  who  can  exact  only  in  return  the  performance  of  a trifl- 
ing task, — so  long  as  he  remains  ignorant, — so  long  as  the 
population  of  the  country  is  sparse,  and  the  agricultural  pro- 
ductions valuable, — so  long  will  Russia  continue  inferior  and 
feeble  as  a manufacturer. 

None  but  natives  are  allowed  to  engage  in  the  internal 
trade.  Fine  travelling  upon  the  snow  and  ice  in  winter, 
enables  the  contractor  to  deliver  almost  any  quantity  of 
produce  at  any  point  or  depot  upon  the  numerous  canals 
and  rivers  of  the  interior.  This  produce  is  placed  in  flat- 
boats,  which  are  floated  dowTn  stream  with  high  water  at 
the  opening  of  navigation.  Owing  to  the  short  period, 
during  which  rivers  and  canals  are  navigable,  the  iron 
of  Siberia  and  the  teas  of  China  are  three  years  in  their 
transit  to  the  seaboard.  Some  articles  are  brought  all  the 
way  by  land,  a year  being  required  for  this  purpose.  The 
freight  by  water,  from  the  Chinese  frontier  to  the  Baltic,  is 
about  eight  cents  ; by  land  about  twelve  cents  per  pound. 
The  foreign  trade  is  almost  altogether  conducted  by  foreign- 
ers. Credit  is  generally  given  by  the  foreign  merchant  to 
the  native  dealer,  not  only  upon  sales  of  imported  articles, 
but  money  is  advanced  upon  the  domestic  produce  which  is 
to  be  delivered  at  some  future  specified  time.  Notwith- 
standing that  this  extensive  credit,  thus  given  to  the  native 
dealer,  is  as  liable  as  it  would  be  elsewhere  to  be  abused ; 
notwithstanding  the  impositions  frequently  practised  by 
some,  and  the  misfortunes  experienced  by  others,  insol- 
vency is  far  from  being  the  every-day  affair  of  many  other 
mercantile  communities. 

The  pains  and  penalties  of  the  ukase  relating  to  bank- 
rupts, are  particularly  severe,  and  the  Emperor  is  under- 


254 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


stood  to  regard  with  great  dissatisfaction  every  disaster  at- 
tended with,  or  produced  by,  the  slightest  breach  of  faith. 
There  is  a story,  which  if  true,  shows  how  little  sympathy 
is  manifested  by  the  government  towards  those  whose  de- 
signs of  fraud  or  insolvency  can  be  detected.  Though  it  is 
not  perhaps  a case  in  point  with  the  foregoing  remarks,  it 
maybe  interesting  in  connection  with  the  whole  subject. 
Owing  to  the  unusual  mildness  of  the  winter  of  1842,  and 
the  melting  of  the  snow  upon  the  roads  of  the  interior,  some 
difficulty  was  experienced  in  supplying  the  market  with  the 
common  necessaries  of  life.  Every  thing  was  in  conse- 
quence very  high  in  price,  but  it  seems  that  several  persons, 
not  satisfied  with  extraordinary  profits,  succeeded  in  buying 
up  most  of  the  provisions  in  and  for  St.  Petersburg.  This 
operation  attracted  the  attention  of  the  popular  and  en- 
lightened minister  of  the  interior,  PerofFsky.  This  gentle- 
man surprised  the  cabal  one  day  with  an  unexpected  visit, 
and  announced  his  determination  to  put  a stop  to  their  pro- 
ceedings. He  accordingly  regulated  the  price  of  the  arti- 
cles they  had  on  hand,  and  prohibited  the^ale  of  them  at  a 
higher  valuation.  The  monopolists  thereupon  affirmed  that 
they  would,  in  consequence  of  this  proceeding, /be  reduced 
to  bankruptcy.  The  minister  in  reply,  took  possession  of 
their  books,  and  after  an  examination,  informed  them,  if  they 
did  not  at  once  consent  to  pay  their  creditors  in  full,  they 
should  depart  instanter  for  Siberia.  In  this  instance  the 
determination  to  correct  abuses  of  this  kind,  and  the  man- 
ner of  doing  it,  is  fully  apparent. 

A disposition  manifested  to  foster  and  encourage  trade 
and  manufactures  ; to  maintain  credit ; the  introduction  of 
railways ; the  recent  ukases,  reducing  the  terms  of  enlist- 


FREE  TRADE. 


255 


ment  in  the  army;  the  prohibition  of  the  punishment  of 
soldiers,  without  the  authority  of  a competent  court-martial ; 
the  granting  to  English  suitors  in  civil  suits  before  Russian 
tribunals,  the  same  privileges  in  relation  to  security  for 
costs,  &c.,  as  are  enjoyed  by  Russian  suitors  in  British 
courts, — all  indicate  the  progress  of  enlightened  views,  and 
efforts,  no  matter  how  mistaken  or  unsuccessful,  to  bring 
about  improvement. 

A great  advance  of  refinement  and  the  arts  in  Russia, 
must  result  from  the  higher  intelligence  of  her  people.  The 
time  has  been  when  civilization  perched  upon  the  banners 
of  successful  war,  and  forced  her  way  along  with  the  march 
of  armies.  She  now  pursues  the  paths  of  peace.  She  sits 
upon  the  prow  of  commerce,  and  the  arts,  her  sisters,  fol- 
low in  her  wake.  Commerce, — free  and  unshackled  com- 
merce, must  be  the  harbinger  of  that  civilization,  which 
will  completely  vanquish  prejudice  and  superstition,  and 
place  the  Russian  people  on  a level  with  those  of  the  rest 
of  Europe.  Nothing  but  such  a commerce  can  effect 
this  desirable  object,  and  until  it  is  effected,  neither  pro- 
tective tariffs  nor  unlimited  prohibitions  will  tell  them 
how  to  make,  or  teach  them  how  to  want  and  wear,  the 
beautiful  fabrics  of  other  lands.  Let  the  doors  be  thrown 
open  to  free  trade,  let  men  of  all  nations  throng  her  ports, 
let  them  penetrate  to  her  remotest  borders,  and  descend  her 
rivers  from  the  fountain  to  the  sea,  and  the  triumph  of  Rus- 
sian civilization  would  be  half  achieved.  Then  there  would 
be  a demand  for  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  life,  now 
known  to  a very  small  portion  of  the  population.  Then 
would  be  seen  what  arts  will  flourish  best  upon  her  soil,  and 


256 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


which  of  them,  if  any,  will  need  the  judicious  care  of  gov- 
ernment. 

Such,  unfortunately,  is  not  the  policy  of  the  continental 
States;  such  is  not  the  present  policy  of  Russia.  High 
tariffs  to  promote  manufacturing  interests,  without  regard 
to  capacity  or  fitness  to  excel,  and  without  reference  to 
other  interests  of  more  importance,  are  the  order  of  the  day. 
Reciprocity  is  the  cry  throughout  the  world,  but  there  is  no 
reciprocity.  Seized  with  the  prevailing  mania  of  manufac- 
turing in  self-defence,  and  of  creating  a new  branch  of  indus- 
try within  herself,  Russia  enters  the  field  with  gigantic  com- 
petitors. Whatever  may  be  the  advantages  to  be  derived 
from  measures  adopted  for  the  public  good,  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  any  impediment  should  be  interposed  to  the 
benefits  of  commercial  intercourse  to  such  a country  as 
Russia. 


VLADIMIR. 


257 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Vladimir — Alexander  Nevsky — Country  Residences — Country  Life— Resident 

Nobles — Pastimes  of  the  Peasantry — Priests — Churches — Superstition. 

A ride  of  thirty  hours  carried  us  from  Moscow  to  Vladi- 
mir, the  capital  town  of  the  province  of  the  same  name.  This 
city  was  founded  by  and  named  after  Vladimir  the  Great, 
who  embraced  Christianity  in  the  tenth  century.  Before  the 
rise  of  Moscow  it  was  the  residence  of  the  Grand  Dukes, 
and  after  the  conquest  of  Kief  by  Andrew  in  1165,  it  was 
enlarged  and  embellished,  and  made  the  metropolis  of  Rus- 
sia. To  give  it  interest  in  the  eyes  of  a superstitious  peo- 
ple, and  to  gain  for  it  a reputation  for  peculiar  sanctity,  the 
politic  Andrew  carried  away  from  Kief  the  much  venerated 
image  of  the  Virgin,  whose  shrine,  erected  in  the  gorgeous 
cathedral  of  St.  Mary,  was  worshipped  by  all  Russian  pil- 
grims. Here  also  were  subsequently  deposited  the  remains 
of  Alexander,  Prince  of  Novogorod,  who  was  called  Nev- 
sky, from  his  victory  over  the  Swedes  upon  the  banks  of 
the  Neva.  The  heroic  virtues  of  Alexander  have  illus- 
trated the  early  history  of  his  country.  His  memory  was 
cherished,  his  deeds  were  magnified,  and  his  name  exalted 
among  the  saints.  His  lifeless  body  was  supposed  to  be 
invested  with  miraculous  power,  and  his  tomb  was  visited 
and  adored  by  myriads  of  the  barbarians.  Peter  the  Great, 
anxious  to  secure  all  the  fame  of  the  saint,  and  the  favor  of 


258 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  multitude  for  his  new  capital,  transferred  to  St.  Peters- 
burg the  dust  of  the  hero  and  the  devotion  of  the  people, 
and  Vladimir,  deprived  of  its  divinity,  was  almost  deserted. 

In  the  twelfth  century,  Baty,  the  grandson  of  Ghengis 
Khan,  at  the  head  of  his  innumerable  hosts,  poured  like  an 
avalanche  through  the  passes  of  the  Caucasus,  and  turned 
the  resistless  progress  of  his  arms  upon  Northern  Europe. 
His  march  from  the  Volga  to  the  Baltic  was  marked  with 
blood  and  desolation.  He  massacred  the  population  and 
destroyed  the  towns  as  he  advanced,  that  his  conquests 
might  be  one  boundless  pasture  for  his  roving  flocks,  and  a 
home  for  his  bands  of  herdsmen.  When  he  appeared  be- 
fore Vladimir,  the  affrighted  inhabitants  took  refuge  in  their 
churches,  and  besought  the  protection  of  their  saints.  A 
few  Tartars  climbed  the  walls  without  resistance,  and 
threw  open  the  gates  to  the  eager  warriors,  who  rushed  in 
and  commenced  the  work  of  extermination.  Princes  and 
princesses  were  consumed  in  the  burning  sanctuaries,  and 
the  rest  were  slaughtered  in  the  streets,  without  distinction 
of  age  or  sex.  Vladimir  was  subsequently  rebuilt,  and  al- 
though the  seat  of  empire  was  removed  to  Moscow,  pros- 
pered again  for  a hundred  years.  But  when  Tamerlane 
appeared  upon  the  Volga,  and  passed  like  a whirlwind  to- 
wards the  west,  Vladimir  fell  before  him,  and  has  never 
since  recovered  its  importance.  It  has  a university,  and 
boasts  the  first  ecclesiastical  seminary  in  Russia.  It  con- 
tains, also,  a number  of  sacred  edifices  in  the  Russian  style, 
among  which  is  quite  conspicuous  the  old  cathedral  of  St. 
Mary,  built  by  Andrew,  prince  of  Susdal. 

Beyond  Vladimir  we  stopped  at  the  chateau  of  a Russian 
noble.  The  country  residences  of  any  pretension  to  ele- 


COUNTRY  RESIDENCE. 


259 


gance  are  few  and  far  between,  and  these  are  generally  in 
dilapidation  or  decay,  from  the  effects  of  the  climate  and 
neglect.  The  insipidity  of  country  life  in  Russia  is  almost 
insupportable,  and  hence  it  is  that  the  great  proprietors  sel- 
dom, if  ever,  visit  their  possessions.  Those  who  do  so, 
rarely  remain  beyond  a few  weeks  to  shoot  and  hunt,  after 
which  they  return  to  the  large  towns.  The  nobles  con- 
stantly residing  upon  their  estates,  are  small  proprietors. 
This  class  is  very  numerous.  In  some  of  the  provinces 
they  are  as  many  as  thirty  thousand.  Having  no  influence 
with  the  government,  and  little  consideration  with  the  peo- 
ple, suspected  by  the  one  and  hated  by  the  other,  these 
petty  princes  regard  with  apprehension  the  awful  fate  of 
the  nobles  of  Gallicia.  The  recent  revolts  in  the  prov- 
inces of  Worensk,  Tchernigof  and  Witepsk,  where  the 
peasantry  murdered  their  masters  and  plundered  their  dwell- 
ings, exhibit  the  melancholy  condition  to  which  many  of 
the  resident  proprietors  are  reduced. 

The  mansion  we  visited  was  built  of  logs,  weather-board- 
ed, and  painted  white.  A double  piazza,  supported  by  col- 
umns of  pine,  extended  round  two  sides  the  building.  It 
stood  in  a bleak,  open  place,  at  the  head  of  the  village  occu- 
pied by  serfs,  and  was  surrounded  on  every  side  with  badly- 
cultivated  fields,  and  woodlands  of  white  birch  and  pine. 
The  only  remarkable  occurrence  during  the  stay  at  this 
place,  was  the  baptism  of  the  infant  son  of  the  proprietor. 
One  of  the  most  powerful  and  enlightened  men  in  the 
empire  officiated  as  godfather.  The  parents  were  not  per- 
mitted to  witness  the  ceremony.  After  the  priest  had  per- 
formed a portion  of  the  service,  the  deacons  in  military  cos- 
tume, commenced  chanting  some  sacred  melody.  While  the 


260 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


child  was  thrice  immersed,  and  thrice  crossed  with  holy- 
water,  upon  the  arms  and  legs  and  every  part  of  the  body, 
the  distinguished  godfather  turned  round,  and  spit  upon 
and  chased  away  the  devil,  who  was  supposed  to  be  pres- 
ent, and  intent  upon  interfering  in  the  process  of  baptism. 

It  was  a prasnik  or  holiday,  when  we  resumed  our  jour- 
ney. The  inhabitants  of  the  villages  were  lounging  in  the 
sunshine.  They  seemed,  by  general  consent,  to  have  re- 
linquished the  schube  for  their  summer  costumes.  The 
men  appeared  in  colored  shirts,  and  the  loose  red  charavari 
or  pantaloon,  which  below  the  knee,  descended  within  the 
depths  of  a capacious  boot.  The  women  were  arrayed  in 
the  saraphan ; — a bright  red  gown,  with  a yellow  border, 
and  a row  of  white  buttons  down  in  front.  Beneath 
it  is  a white  boddice,  fitting  tightly  about  the  neck,  and 
loosely  about  the  arms.  Connected  in  some  way  with  this 
boddice,  there  is  a broad  strap,  by  which  the  enormous 
bosom  of  the  Russian  maid  is  pressed  down  towards  the 
stomach,  giving  her  a waistless  and  heavy  appearance, 
amounting  almost  to  deformity.  A red  band,  resembling  a 
tiara,  or  a crescent-shaped  bonnet,  adorned  with  beads,  tin- 
sel, or  mother-of-pearl,  is  worn  upon  the  head; — a string 
of  glass  beads  about  the  neck,  and  large  drops  of  brass  or 
silver  in  the  ears.  The  hair  plaited  in  a long  tail,  falls  upon 
the  back.  Red  slippers  cover  the  feet,  and  as  red  is  sy- 
nonymous with  beauty  among  the  Russians,  the  faces  of 
the  girls  were  beautified  with  a rouge,  extracted  from  some 
vegetable  of  the  country. 

The  men  were  sitting  lazily  before  their  doors,  or  lounging 
about  the  kabak,  or  village  inn ; and  the  women  assembled 
in  groups,  as  sad  as  the  men  were  surly,  maintained  the 


DOMESTIC  SCENES. 


261 


most  profound  silence.  Sometimes,  a couple  of  the  younger 
people  were  seen  dancing  a sort  of  jig  or  playing  see-saw ; — 
sometimes  we  heard  the  sound  of  song,  and  the  tinkling  of 
the  balalaika,  the  Russian  banjo  ; — sometimes  we  heard  the 
shrill  and  painful  squeakings  of  the  reed  pipes,  called  the 
dukta ; but  this  was  not  often,  and  a more  sombre  and  sorry 
set  of  rustics  we  had  never  seen  before.  The  children  are 
good-looking,  but  have  no  sprightliness ; and  the  adults, 
whose  hideousness  is  perfectly  unaccountable,  have  a most 
morose  and  ill-natured  expression  of  countenance. 

The  Great  Russian  peasant,  however,  is  said  to  be  both 
hospitable  and  pious.  His  virtues  are  those  of  the  barba- 
rian, his  vices  those  of  the  slave.  But  he  seldom  feels 
happy,  excepting  when  in  a state  of  intoxication.  He 
loses  his  sobriety  and  his  gravity  together,  and  when  in 
drink,  is  as  gay  and  polite  as  possible.  His  loud,  harsh, 
querulous  tones  are  changed  for  low,  sweet  accents.  He 
greets  his  neighbors  with  profound  bows,  and  though  his 
steps  are  devious,  and  his  eyes  are  glassy,  he  never  falls, 
and  never  fails  to  find  his  cabin.  He  kisses  his  wife  and 
children,  applies  to  them  the  most  extravagant  terms  of  en- 
dearment, and  goes  to  sleep  with  the  impression,  that  he  is 
the  most  amiable  of  mankind.  But  he  awakens  the  next 
morning  from  this  state  of  forgetfulness,  resumes  his  stern 
and  savage  humor,  and  as  if  bound  to  assert  his  entire  self- 
possession,  he  flogs  his  wife  with  the  fury  of  a demon. 

The  girls  were  formerly  married  at  thirteen,  but  by  re- 
cent regulations,  this  is  not  lawful  until  they  have  arrived 
at  sixteen  years  of  age.  Their  charms  terminate  soon  after 
the  nuptial  ceremonies,  and  in  a year  or  two,  the  brutal 
tyranny  of  the  husband,  and  hard  work  in  the  field,  have 


262 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE.  . 


converted  the  blooming  bride  into  a wrinkled  hag.  Yet 
strange  to  say,  the  Russian  wife  receives  the  castigations 
of  her  husband,  not  only  with  submission,  but  as  the  ev- 
idence of  his  sincere  affection  ; and  on  the  other  hand,  the 
Russian  husband  acknowledges  that  he  whips  his  wife,  as 
he  would  dust  his  sheepskin,  from  the  best  of  motives. 

“ Biou  kak  choubou,  i loublou  kak  douchou.” 

“ I beat  you  like  my  schube,  I love  you  like  my  heart.” 

When  the  peasant  dies,  the  priest  writes  a passport  for 
heaven,  which  is  signed  by  the  bishop  and  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  dead.  After  the  funeral  the  priests  and  the 
friends  of  the  deceased  meet  at  his  house  to  enjoy  them- 
selves, and  the  first  toast  in  commemoration  of  the  deplo- 
rable event,  is,  “ to  the  happiness  of  his  soul,  for  he  was  a 
good  fellow,  and  loved  grog.” 

The  church  is  a conspicuous  object  in  almost  every  Rus- 
sian village.  It  is  generally  a large  brick  building,  painted 
white  or  yellow,  surrounded  with  red  or  yellow  walls,  and 
having  green  domes  and  a belfry  tower,  crowned  with  a 
crescent,  surmounted  with  a cross  ; the  cunning  emblem  of 
the  past  and  future  triumphs  of  the  Greek  Christians  over 
the  children  of  the  Prophet,  and  one  too,  that  does  not  fail 
to  impress  the  stranger,  as  significant  of  the  wish  or  the 
intention  of  the  Russians,  to  occupy  the  city  of  Constantine, 
and  to  restore  to  St.  Sophia,  the  religion  and  the  worship 
of  the  Greeks.  Carrion  crows  hover  about  and  rest  upon 
the  domes.  Pigeons,  which  are  regarded  by  the  common 
Russians  with  a certain  degree  of  veneration,  nestle  upon 
the  cornices.  The  belfry  tower,  open  at  the  sides,  is  filled 
with  bells,  which  are  also  considered  sacred,  and  the  ring- 


THE  CHURCH. 


263 


ing  of  which  is  an  act  of  devotion.  Over  the  entrance  to 
the  church,  there  is  a portrait  of  St.  Nicholas,  before  which 
the  Russian  who  passes  by,  or  who  is  about  to  enter,  un- 
covers and  bows  in  prayer. 

The  sanctuary  is  separated  from  the  body  of  the  church, 
by  the  iconostas  or  screen,  which  is  hung  with  pictures  of 
the  saints.  Candles  and  lamps  are  constantly  kept  burning 
before  the  representations  of  the  Saviour  and  the  Virgin. 
Behind  the  screen  is  the  sanctum  sanctorum,  containing  the 
holy  table  with  a canopy  above  it,  from  which  a dove  is 
suspended  as  the  symbol  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  cross,  and 
a box,  containing  the  holy  elements,  are  open  upon  the 
table,  and  concealed  on  either  side  are  the  choristers,  who 
repeat  and  chant  the  prayers  after  the  officiating  priests.  The 
old  Slavonian  is  altogether  used  in  the  offices  of  religion. 
Few  of  the  people  understand  this  language,  but  they  listen 
with  attention,  and  bowing  repeatedly,  exclaim,  “ Gospodi 
pompiloui’'’  God  have  mercy  upon  us. 

The  pictures  of  the  Virgin  are  seen  in  every  building, 
and  receive  the  adoration  of  the  Russians,  who  pretend, 
however,  to  disclaim  the  worship  of  images,  and  to  abom- 
inate the  idolatry  of  the  Romans.  The  great  article  on 
which  they  differed  from  the  Latin  Church,  was  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  does  not  proceed  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
but  from  the  Father  only.  Previous  to  the  time  of  Peter 
the  Great,  this  and  a few  other  points  constituted  the  main 
distinctions  between  the  doctrines  of  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans. This  prince  nominated  and  confirmed  himself  as  the 
patriarch  of  the  Christians  in  his  dominions,  and  he  and  his 
successors  in  moulding  the  spiritual,  to  suit  and  secure  the 
temporal  power,  widened  the  breach  between  the  churches 


264 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


of  the  east  and  west,  and  closed  forever  the  prospect  of 
reunion.  The  church  in  Russia  is  now  entirely  controlled 
by  the  state,  and  the  Emperor,  as  high-priest  and  king,  is 
the  governor  absolute  of  the  civil  and  religious  concerns  of 
his  people.  A synod  composed  of  bishops,  selected  by  him, 
meet  under  the  supervision  of  one  of  the  aides-de-camp 
general  of  his  majesty,  who  presides  in  full  military  uniform 
and  regulates  ecclesiastical  affairs. 

Formerly  the  bishops,  and  monks,  and  ruling  elders,  were 
very  numerous  and  wealthy,  and  wielded  a power  formi- 
dable to  the  Czars.  The  Metropolitan  of  Moscow,  seated 
upon  an  ass,  was  conducted  by  the  reigning  prince  from  his 
palace  to  the  sanctuary,  and  shared  with  him  the  revenues 
of  the  kingdom  ; — until  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth 
century,  he  held  an  almost  undisputed  influence  over  the 
minds  and  actions  of  the  people.  Peter  the  Great  reduced 
the  power,  and  ridiculed  the  pomp  of  the  clergy ; he  or- 
dered that  no  one  should  be  admitted  to  a monastic  life 
until  the  age  of  fifty.  At  the  present  time  the  common 
priests  have  no  influence  with  the  people.  Deprived  of 
their  wealth,  they  have  lost  whatever  dignity  it  gave,  and 
without  education,  the  greater  portion  of  them  appear  among 
the  meanest  of  the  land.  Not  a few  exhibit  publicly  the 
most  disgraceful  examples  of  debauchery  and  drunkenness, 
and  reel  about  the  streets  and  highways  during  Easter,  as 
if  it  were  a part  of  their  vocation. 

The  common  priest  cannot  be  ordained  before  he  is  mar- 
ried. He  may  espouse  a maid,  but  not  a widow.  If  his 
wife  dies  he  cannot  marry  again,  but  must  retire  to  a mo- 
nastery. He  is  careful  therefore  to  select  a healthy  bride, 
and  so  kindly  does  he  treat  her,  that  it  is  usually  observed 


CLERGY. 


265 


she  is  the  happiest  woman  in  the  parish.  Bishops  and 
higher  orders  of  the  clergy,  are  chosen  from  among  the 
unhappy  widowers  who  are  confined  in  the  cloisters.  The 
most  distinguished  for  good  looks  and  intelligence,  as  well 
as  for  their  fasting  and  prayer,  are  selected.  Neither  the 
virtues  nor  the  vices  of  the  priesthood,  have,  in  any  way, 
modified  the  superstitions  of  the  people.  These  are  as  ri- 
diculous and  surprising  as  at  any  former  period,  and  equally 
affect  the  conduct  of  the  highest  and  the  lowest  in  society. 
They  all  have  their  lucky  and  their  unlucky  days,  numbers, 
signs  and  dreams,  and  believe  in  charms  and  miracles. 

It  has  been  observed  that  the  Russians  have  retained 
many  of  the  Asiatic  peculiarities  of  their  progenitors.  Their 
public  forms  and  ceremonies  of  religion  may  somewhat  re- 
semble those  of  the  Europeans  ; but  their  prostrations,  fatal- 
ism, and  fanaticism,  are  certainly  of  eastern  origin.  By 
the  Saddar,  fifteen  prayers  and  genuflexions  were  required 
whenever  the  devout  Persian  cut  his  nails,  or  performed 
any  other  necessary  office  ; and  by  the  rules  of  the  Greek 
Church,  every  good  Russian  bows  and  crosses  himself  many 
times  on  every  ordinary  occasion.  When  he  enters  his 
house,  before  he  eats,  or  drinks,  or  picks  a pocket ; or  if  he 
happen  to  sneeze,  cough  or  spit,  or  do  other  and  unmention- 
able things  which  he  of  all  frail  mortals  is  most  apt  to  do, 
he  is  suddenly  taken  wfith  a fit  of  devotion, — bows,  makes 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  ejaculates  “ God  be  merciful  to 
me  a sinner.” 

He  is  completely  under  the  control  of  his  religious  feeling. 
Through  this  he  may  be  reduced  to  the  depths  of  despair,  or 
exalted  to  the  highest  pitch  of  enthusiasm.  When  it  is  re- 
membered that  this,  the  mainspring  of  his  action,  is  in  the 

12 


266 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


hand  of  a temporal  ruler,  who  may  touch  and  regulate  it  as 
he  will, — who  claims,  by  divine  authority,  the  deference  and 
submission  of  his  people, — who  fulminates  at  the  altars  his 
curses  upon  Boris  Gudenof,  and  Pugatchef,  and  Mazeppa, 
and  all  who  have  usurped  the  crown  in  times  gone  by,  and 
who  calls  down  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  upon  those  who 
may  dispute  his  supremacy,  now  or  hereafter, — -the  stupen- 
dous power  of  the  Russian  Autocrat  may  be  readily  compre- 
hended. There  are  various  sects  in  Russia  who  dissent 
from  the  established  church.  Some  of  these  profess  the 
most  extraordinary  doctrines,  and  practise  the  most  abom- 
inable rites.  There  are  many  people,  calling  themselves 
Milkmen,  who  reject  all  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Greeks,  and  confine  themselves  to  the  teachings  of  the  Bi- 
ble. The  present  metropolitan  is  an  avowed  opponent  of 
all  schismatics,  and  has  evinced  a disposition  to  prevent  the 
distribution  of  the  Scriptures  among  the  people. 


MILITARY  COLONIES. 


267 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Military  Colonies — Recruits — Officers — Term  of  Service — Pay — Gardens — 
Fruit — Wheat — Fertility  of  the  Country — Farming — Seed  Time  and  Har- 
vest. 

We  passed  on  the  road  straggling  companies  of  soldiers, 
belonging  to  a regiment  which  had  been  ordered  to  repair  to 
Moscow.  They  were  in  undress  gray  caps,  long  gray  over- 
coats, and  wearing  a neat  mustache,  certainly  appeared 
every  way  superior  to  their  brothers  in  the  dirty  beards  and 
sheepskins.  A large  party  marched  in  a crowd  together, 
and  joined  in  the  burden  of  a song  most  monotonous  and 
mournful.  Others  followed  in  little  troops  at  intervals  of  a 
mile  or  two,  committing  depredations  upon  the  peasantry, 
robbing  the  hen-roosts,  and  frightening  the  villagers.  They 
were  without  arms  or  officers,  and  in  complete  disorder. 
We  were  informed  that  they  were  from  one  of  the  military 
colonies  in  the  neighborhood. 

These  colonies  are  composed  of  serfs  of  the  crown,  who 
cultivate  the  crown  lands,  and  are  subjected  to  military  dis- 
cipline. By  this  system  of  maintaining  vast  reservoirs  of 
recruits,  the  government  expected  to  be  able  to  call  out  at 
any  time,  a million  of  men,  over  and  above  the  number  of 
regular  troops.  The  plan  has  not  altogether  answered  the 
expectations  that  were  formed  respecting  it.  The  expense 
is  very  great ; — the  soldier  is  not  a profitable  laborer  in  the 


268 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


field,  and  considerable  danger  is  to  be  apprehended  from  the 
establishment  of  an  armed  militia. 

The  available  forces  of  Russia  have  been  estimated  from 
six  hundred  thousand  to  a million  of  men.  It  is  impossible 
to  rely  upon  the  interested  statements  of  government  or 
individuals,  in  relation  to  the  army.  A million  of  men  may 
be  registered  upon  the  muster  rolls,  but  may  not  appear 
when  called  for;  or  a million  of  men  may  be  distributed 
along  the  extensive  frontiers,  and  do  garrison  duty  in  the 
numerous  fortresses  of  the  Empire,  without  being  particu- 
larly formidable.  Napoleon  entered  Moscow  with  one  hun- 
dred and  thirty  thousand  men,  and  actually  outnumbered 
the  Russian  forces  in  the  heart  of  Russia. 

The  regiments  in  the  interior  of  the  country  are  in  a 
miserable  state.  The  officers  are  ignorant  and  tyrannical. 
The  captain  lives  upon  his  company,  the  colonel  upon  his 
regiment,  the  general  upon  his  brigade.  Almost  every  func- 
tionary in  the  Russian  service  supports  himself  by  pecula- 
tion. To  such  an  extent  does  this  prevail,  that  even  the 
private  secretary  of  the  Emperor,  a few  years  since,  sold 
the  signature  of  his  Imperial  Majesty,  and  modified  and 
altered  his  decrees  to  suit  the  purchaser.  The  chivalric 
notions  of  honor  which  are  presumed  to  actuate  the  soldier 
can  hardly  be  supposed  to  exist  in  the  Russian  service. 
Duel  and  assault  are  both  severely  punished ; an  appeal 
to  justice  being  altogether  out  of  the  question,  the  lie  is 
given  and  received  without  consequence  to  either  party. 

Common  soldiers  stationed  in  the  interior  are  drafted 
to  make  and  repair  roads  and  bridges,  and  in  various 
ways,  are  employed  as  laborers.  The  Russians  are  not  a 
warlike  people.  The  only  concern  manifested  by  the  serf 


THE  CONSCRIPTION. 


269 


is  during  the  time  of  conscription.  Five  out  of  every 
thousand  men  are  levied  annually  by  the  government.  The 
owner  of  a serf  taken  for  the  army  receives  no  compen- 
sation,— on  the  contrary,  he  is  obliged  to  pay  six  dollars  for 
his  outfit.  The  term  of  service  has  lately  been  reduced 
from  twenty-two  to  fifteen  years  in  the  guard,  and  from 
twenty-five  to  twenty-two  in  the  line. 

Fear  of  being  enrolled  fills  the  serf  with  anguish. 
Though  he  may  be  flogged  until  life  is  nearly  extinct  with- 
out uttering  a groan,  he  will  cry  aloud  and  deplore  his  fate, 
when  chosen  for  the  ranks.  He  will  bitterly  bemoan  the 
loss  of  his  beard.  This  he  carefully  preserves  after  it  is 
taken  off,  that  it  may  be  buried  with  him,  to  propitiate  St. 
Nicholas,  who  might  not  recognize  him,  and  refuse  to  admit 
him  into  heaven.  But  once  enlisted,  he  submits  to  what  he 
considers  is  the  will  of  God,  and  makes  a solemn  vow  never 
to  desert  his  colors.  Each  regiment  has  its  artel,  or  treas- 
ury ; all  the  money,  clothing,  or  provisions  that  the  re- 
cruit brings  with  him,  and  all  the  plunder  the  soldier  can 
procure,  go  into  the  artel.  When  he  is  sick  or  wounded, 
he  is  provided  for  out  of  this  common  stock.  His  pay  ave- 
rages about  one  cent  per  diem.  Each  regiment  has  its 
priests  and  sacred  banners ; and  the  superstition  of  the  Rus- 
sian, quite  as  much  as  his  capability  to  endure  privation, 
makes  him  a bold  and  determined  soldier.  The  troops  of 
Suwarrow,  in  the  ever-memorable  campaign  of  Italy,  con- 
sumed with  relish,  the  soap  and  candles  they-  found  in  the 
deserted  farm-houses ; and  the  same  troops  fought  and  fell 
in  battle,  in  the  belief  that  in  three  days  they  would  revive 
again,  and  live  forever  in  immortal  glory. 

Passing  the  large  town  of  Murom,  and  crossing  the  Oka, 


270 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


we  continued  our  journey.  We  seldom  delayed  in  any 
of  the  villages,  except  to  make  a breakfast  of  bread  and  tea, 
or  a dinner,  which  was  principally  composed  of  eggs,  and 
soup  made  of  cabbage.  This  was  all  we  obtained,  with  the 
exception  of  a few  pears  and  apples.  Fortunately,  the 
fruits  had  been  blessed  on  the  sixth  of  August,  and  it  was 
therefore  lawful  for  us,  now  that  we  had  reached  a region 
where  they  were  abundant,  to  eat  without  fear  and  without 
reproach.  The  gardens  attached  to  the  houses  of  the  peas- 
antry in  the  eastern  parts  of  the  province,  are  planted  with 
apple,  plum,  and  cherry  trees.  The  latter  are  thrifty,  but 
in  this  parallel  few  fruits  reach  maturity.  The  apples  are 
of  good  size  and  color,  but  hard  and  tasteless.  The  trans- 
parent apple,  supposed  to  be  a native  of  China,  and  aspar- 
agus and  other  vegetables,  are  very  abundant. 

The  country,  as  we  advanced,  was  broken  with  gentle 
undulations,  and  after  the  dead  level  of  the  plain,  appeared 
quite  picturesque.  This  rolling  land  was  covered  with  tall 
ripe  grain,  which,  waving  and  nodding  in  the  breeze,  re- 
sembled a sea  of  gold.  For  miles  and  miles,  not  a tree  or 
hedge  was  to  be  seen; — all  was  a broad  and  unbounded 
field  of  wheat ; a prospect  like  which  we  had  seen  in  no 
other  country,  and  compared  with  which,  the  grain-pro- 
ducing districts  of  the  South,  as  extensive  and  as  beautiful 
as  they  appear,  sink  into  utter  insignificance. 

To  our  infinite  surprise,  the  Yemshick  left  the  beaten 
track,  and  dashing  through  the  growing  wheat,  trampled 
down  whole  acres  to  avoid  a bad  piece  of  road.  We  were 
now  in  that  part  of  Russia  so  celebrated  for  its  extreme 
abundance.  We  had,  indeed,  entered  the  province  of  Nis- 
chnei  Novogorod,  which  is  considered  the  finest  of  central 


FERTILITY. 


271 


Russia.  The  soil  is  a sandy  loam,  like  that  of  Moscow  and 
Vladimir,  and  although  nearly  in  the  same  latitude,  is  much 
more  temperate  and  on  a lower  level.  The  vast  exuberance 
of  these  regions,  extending  eastward  to  the  borders  of  Asia, 
and  south  and  south-west  through  Little  Russia,  and  the 
Polish  Ukraine,  has  always  been  remarkable.  Some  pre- 
tend that  this  natural  fertility  attracted  first  the  Slavonic 
tribes  and  Gothic  warriors,  who  established  here  the  officinae 
gentium , the  cradle  of  those  nations  who  afterwards  de- 
scended upon  the  Roman  Empire. 

The  excess  of  production  over  the  consumption  of  the 
population,  is  sufficient  to  supply  any  deficiency  that  may 
exist  in  southern  Europe.  Many  millions  of  bushels  of 
grain  are  exported  annually,  and  the  surplus  could  be  in- 
creased to  an  almost  indefinite  extent  by  an  improved  system 
of  cultivation.  In  the  winter  time,  immense  quantities  of 
provision  are  sent  to  Moscow.  Twenty  thousand  sleigh- 
loads of  frozen  beef  from  the  country  of  the  Don ; ten  thou- 
sand of  frozen  fish  from  Astracan,  and  butter  and  game  to 
a very  large  amount  from  Siberia,  proceed  to  the  western 
provinces,  which  are  not  so  productive.  In  some  parts  of 
this  district  the  peasantry  were  collected  and  busily  engaged 
in  the  various  labors  of  the  field.  Troops  of  women  were 
reaping  with  the  sickle,  and  binding  the  heavy  sheaf.  Carts 
loaded  with  the  gathered  bundles,  moved  off  to  give  place 
to  the  plough,  whose  fork-like  prongs  merely  scratched  the 
earth,  and  prepared  it  to  receive  new  seed  from  one  who 
followed  after.  The  seed-time  and  the  harvest  are  one  and 
the  same  in  the  far  north.  The  summer  is  short.  The 
crop  is  no  sooner  gleaned  and  garnered,  than  the  young 
wheat  begins  to  germinate. 


272 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Farming  in  Russia  is  conducted  after  the  old  methods — • 
the  arable  lands  producing  two  successive  crops,  and  lying 
in  fallow  every  third  year.  The  sheaves  of  wheat,  carried 
into  the  huts,  are  suspended  upon  poles,  and  dried  by  the 
heat  of  the  oven.  The  grain  shrinks  very  much  during  this 
process,  but  it  is  supposed  to  be  less  liable  to  the  attacks  of 
insects,  and  preserves  its  nutritive  qualities  for  many  years. 
During  the  winter  it  is  sent  to  market.  Sometimes,  at  this 
season,  the  snow  melts  and  disappears,  and  the  roads  be- 
come impassable.  This  circumstance  is  productive  of  very 
serious  consequences,  inasmuch  as  the  grain  is  wasted  and 
destroyed  because  of  its  abundance,  while  the  inhabitants 
of  whole  districts  upon  the  Baltic  and  in  the  north,  are  in  a 
state  of  starvation.  Railways  will  soon  remedy  this  evil, 
and  fully  develop  the  agricultural  wealth  of  Russia. 


NISCHNEI  NOVOGOROD. 


273 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Nischnei-Novogorod — The  Governor  General — The  Fair — Teas — Furs — Car- 
pets— Cashmere  Shawls — Russian  Markets — Caravans — Commercial  Rela- 
tions of  Russia. 

It  was  late  when  w7e  entered  the  town  of  Nischnei-No- 
vogorod. Objects  were  indistinctly  seen,  but  the  noise  and 
confusion  that  prevailed  in  the  crowded  streets,  revealed 
enough  to  satisfy  us  that  we  had  arrived  in  time  to  witness 
the  Fair,  for  which  this  place  is  famous. 

Weary  with  travel,  we  left  the  talega,  and  entered  the 
Dom  Yermoiloff,  the  house  of  Yermoiloff,  the  principal  hotel, 
and  which,  like  all  the  principal  hotels,  was  magnificently 
tawdry,  and  abominably  dirty.  The  room  assigned  us, — for 
we  could  obtain  but  one,  contained  neither  bed  nor  bedstead, 
and  the  sofas  we  were  expected  to  occupy  in  lieu  thereof, 
were  furnished  with  nothing  whatever  in  the  shape  of  sheets, 
quilts,  or  blankets.  In  reply  to  the  call  for  these  articles,  we 
were  informed  that  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment  could 
not  provide  any  thing  of  the  kind.  We  were  much  too 
fatigued  to  be  particularly  unhappy  with  this  information, 
and  as  we  fared  quite  as  well  as  the  grandees,  who  occu- 
pied the  greater  portion  of  the  premises,  it  was  useless  to 
complain.  We  soon  forgot  in  slumber  the  inflictions  of 
the  industrious  little  creatures  who  shared  our  couch.  We 
rested  long  on  the  following  morning,  and  would  probably 

12* 


274 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


have  rested  longer,  had  we  not  been  roused  with  intelli- 
gence of  the  approach  of  the  governor-general  of  the  prov- 
ince ; who,  informed  of  the  arrival  of  our  distinguished 
companion,  had  chosen  this  early  hour  to  welcome  him  to 
Nischnei.  We  had  scarcely  time  to  collect  our  half-sleep- 
ing senses,  or  to  reflect  upon  the  extreme  neglige  of  person 
and  apartment,  when,  by  the  clinking  sound  of  spur  and 
sword,  we  knew  the  governor  was  already  in  the  entry.  It 
was  impossible  to  refuse  him,  and  in  the  attempt  to  draw  on 
boots,  or  arrange  some  articles  of  dress,  the  door  was  thrown 
open,  and  his  excellency  the  Count,  attended  by  three  gen- 
tlemen in  brilliant  uniforms,  entered  and  received  the  saluta- 
tions of  three  travellers  in  dishabille.  The  distinguished 
gentleman  for  whom  this  visit  was  especially  intended,  had 
forgotten  to  remove  the  variegated  bandanna  that  served 
him  as  a nightcap,  and  in  this  most  inconsistent  costume 
he  returned  the  bows  and  compliments  of  the  illustrious 
governor,  to  whom  we  were  next  presented  with  all  the 
ceremony  the  ridiculous  circumstances  of  the  occasion 
would  admit.  These  ceremonies  being  finished,  our  guests 
were  seated  upon  the  sofas,  which  had  but  lately  held  aur 
weary  bodies,  and  the  conversation  became  general. 

The  governor  was  a good-looking  man,  of  one  of  the  best 
families  in  the  realm,  of  the  most  finished  manners  and  ad- 
dress, full  of  fire  and  fun,  and  shrewd  withal.  He  referred 
to  the  United  States,  and  in  his  frequent  and  subsequent 
inquiries,  he  manifested  a desire  to  be  correctly  informed 
with  respect  to  a country  of  which  he  was  completely  ig- 
norant. He  told  us  that  the  fair  was  now  in  all  its  glory, 
and  said,  laughingly,  that  several  Chinamen  were  hourly 
expected,  equally  with  whom  we  would  share  the  public 


THE  GOVERNOR  GENERAL. 


275 


curiosity.  He  requested  our  frequent  visits  to  his  palace, 
directed  one  of  his  aids  to  remain  and  wait  upon  our  party, 
and  take  us  wherever  we  wished  to  go ; and  then  with  a 
profusion  of  bows,  the  amiable  governor  and  two  of  his  gen- 
tlemen disappeared,  leaving  us  in  charge  of  a handsome 
young  officer  in  full  feather,  who  was  to  be  our  cicerone. 
The  confusion  that  prevailed  in  our  forlorn  lodging  had  not 
even  attracted  the  attention  of  our  visitors,  and  the  son  of 
Mars  who  remained,  and  made  himself  perfectly  at  home, 
was  so  indifferent  to  the  matter,  as  to  smile  at  our  efforts  to 
explain  what  he  considered  as  very  natural,  and  probably 
attributed  our  anxiety  to  a very  amiable  and  interesting 
trait  of  American  character.  The  effect  of  the  governor’s 
visit  upon  the  conscience  of  the  landlord  was  immediately 
apparent,  for  this  worthy  came  in  person  and  displayed  a 
quilt,  and  several  minor  articles  of  bedding,  which  he  had 
not  been  able  to  find  the  night  before.  Two  servant-men, 
with  oily  faces  and  well-greased  heads  of  hair,  were  placed 
at  the  orders  of  Laronne,  and  brought  water,  basins,  and 
all  else  required,  and  endeavored  to  make  themselves  both 
useful  and  agreeable ; one  of  them  even  condescending  to 
take  from  his  pocket  a dirty  wooden  comb,  which  he  offered 
for  our  use  with  much  complacency,  and  which,  to  his  sur- 
prise, was  taken  by  the  valet  and  thrown  from  the  open 
window.  When  the  toilet  was  completed, — breakfast  was 
prepared ; and  here,  too,  there  was  a change  for  the  better. 
The  tea  was  served  in  cup^  instead  of  tumblers,  and  the 
whole  arrangement  of  the  table  was  an  improvement  upon 
that  of  the  previous  evening.  Our  martial  friend,  the  Cap- 
tain, for  such  was  his  rank,  not  only  partook  of  the  repast, 
but  called  for  various  dainties,  whose  delicacy  he  com- 


276 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


mended,  and  which  he  consumed  with  appetite.  He  was  a 
merry  fellow,  but  rather  odd.  At  least  we  thought  so,  for 
he  carried  razors  in  his  pocket,  which  he  frequently  offered 
to  sell  us  at  a bargain.  After  breakfast  we  sallied  out, 
went  up  to  the  palace,  paid  our  respects  to  the  family  of  the 
governor,  promised  to  dine  with  them  in  the  evening,  and 
then  hastened  to  the  fair. 

Nischnei-Novogorod,  or  Lower  New  City,  is  situated  at 
the  junction  of  the  Oka  with  the  Volga.  From  the  advan- 
tage of  this  position,  and  the  rapidity  and  ease  of  the  com- 
munication between  the  north  and  south,  the  east  and  west, 
it  has  become  the  great  central  mart  of  Russia.  The  town 
is  built  up  the  sides  of  an  acclivity,  upon  the  right  bank  of 
the  Oka.  Upon  the  eminence  is  the  old  fortress  and  gov- 
ernment palace,  called  the  Kremlin.  The  ordinary  resident 
population  of  this  town,  is  about  nine  thousand.  Directly 
opposite,  on  the  other  side  of  the  Oka,  upon  a low  flat  reach- 
ing out  from  the  point  of  the  confluence  of  that  river  with 
the  Volga,  is  the  site  of  the  great  annual  fair.  Upon  this 
flat  were  erected  booths  and  houses  for  the  accommodation 
of  the  traders,  who  assemble  from  almost  every  part  of  the 
world.  Nearly  two  hundred  thousand  people,  of  many 
different  nations,  had.  arrived  with  their  various  produce 
and  manufactures.  They  came  from  Siberia  and  the  fro- 
zen seas ; from  the  foot  of  the  Chinese  wall ; from  the  con- 
fines of  Persia ; from  beyond  the  Indus,  to  barter  with  men 
from  the  west. 

Besides  the  numerous  productions  of  Russia  itself,  nearly 
every  article  of  foreign  growth  and  manufacture,  was  in 
the  market.  Of  European  and  American  imports,  in- 
digo, drugs,  dye-woods,  wine,  fruit,  and  fine  oils,  were  in 


THE  FAIR. 


277 


the  greatest  demand,  and  sold  to  the  largest  amount.  Small 
quantities  of  American  cotton  and  tobacco  were  offered ; 
and  a quantity  of  Brazilian  coffee  remained  unsold.  Tea 
was  the  principal  article  of  eastern  import.  Tea  brought 
to  this  fair  in  1842,  by  way  of  Kiakhta,  and  by  the  Kir- 
ghises,  across  the  borders  of  Siberia,  was  valued  at  nearly 
five  millions  of  dollars.  There  were  more  than  fifty  thou- 
sand chests  of  fine  teas  of  various  descriptions.  Another 
kind  called,  from  its  peculiar  form,  the  ziegel,  or  brick  tea, 
consisting  of  cakes, 'was  sold  to  the  amount  of  six  thou- 
sand boxes.  It  is  used  by  the  Nomadic  tribes  of  Siberia 
and  the  Steppes, — and  is  composed  of  coarse  particles  of 
the  plant.  The  Tartars  boil  it  with  milk,  into  a kind  of 
soup. 

All  articles  in  bulk,  as  bales  of  cotton,  flax  and  hemp, 
barrels  of  soap,  wax  and  tallow,  packages  of  hogs’  bristles, 
horses’  tails,  and  dried  fish,  and  piles  of  other  material,  were 
stored  in  temporary  sheds  erected  near  the  spot,  which 
were  occupied  with  the  retail  shops  and  habitations  of  the 
traders.  These  were  divided  into  streets  of  booths  and 
houses,  and  each  street  had  its  peculiar  and  separate  com- 
merce. The  hardware  of  England,  Germany,  and  Russia ; 
the  tobacco  of  Turkey  and  Virginia^  the  cottons  of  Arme- 
nia and  the  Carolinas ; the  silks  of  France  and  Persia,  were 
placed  side  by  side,  and  displayed  to  the  best  advantage. 
From  Bucharia  there  were  raw  and  spun  cotton,  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  pieces  of  a favorite  cotton  stuff, 
called  Bakhta ; from  Arabia  there  were  perfumes  and 
spices  ; from  Turkey,  damasks  and  velvets. 

The  supply  of  furs  and  peltries  from  every  region,  was 
very  great.  The  sable,  beaver,  lynx,  ermine,  the  Siberian 


278 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


squirrel,  and  the  silver  and  black  fox  of  Siberia ; splen- 
did black  bearskins  from  America ; raccoons  and  martens 
from  Canada ; the  fitchet  from  Germany ; tiger  skins  from 
India ; valuable  lambskins  of  the  Kalmucks ; and  im- 
mense piles  of  wolf,  horse,  and  sheepskins,  used  by  the 
peasantry,  were  all  in  the  market.  The  Russians  are  very 
expert  in  the  preparation  of  all  kinds  of  furs.  They  em- 
ploy the  common  catskins  for  lining  boots  and  gloves,  and 
from  the  different  colors  of  the  same  skin,  they  make 
several  different  furs,  and  dye  them  with  so  much  art, 
as  to  deceive  the  most  practised  eye.  Great  frauds  are  per- 
petrated upon  the  Chinese,  by  those  engaged  in  this  trade. 
The  darker  the  fur,  the  greater  is  its  value.  The  black  fox 
is  prized  over  all  others.  The  price  of  a pelisse  of  this  ma- 
terial, varies  from  five  hundred  to  five  thousand  dollars,  ac- 
cording to  the  quality. 

From  the  quarter  of  the  furriers,  w’e  passed  into  another, 
where  steel  work,  platina  boxes,  and  ornaments  of  brass 
from  Tula  were  exhibited  ; — from  this  into  a street,  whose 
shops  were  filled  with  embroidered  leather,  and  bespangled 
slippers  of  Kazan  ; — and  thence  into  others  with  Chinese 
toys  and  colors  ; the  musks  of  Thibet ; carpets  of  Heran  ; 
silks  of  Mascara  ; jewqjry,  and  fancy  articles  collected  from 
the  east  and  west.  Shawls  of  Cashmere,  sixty  in  number, 
were  valued  at  ninety  thousand  dollars.  Only  twenty-two 
of  them  were  sold.  Rubies  and  turquoises  from  Turkestan, 
were  very  numerous  and  beautiful.  The  latter  were  sold 
to  the  amount  of  thirty-two  thousand  dollars.  According  to 
the  published  statement  of  the  Russian  government,  the  im- 
ports from  Europe  and  America  sold  at  this  fair,  in  I842> 
amounted  in  round  numbers,  to  three  millions  of  dollars, 


CARAVAN  TRADE. 


279 


and  those  of  Asia,  to  seven  millions  and  a half ; while  the 
value  of  iron,  copper,  linen,  canvas,  cloths  and  cottons, 
refined  sugars,  and  other  articles,  the  growth  or  the  man- 
ufacture of  Russia,  actually  sold,  were  estimated  at  the 
enormous  sum  of  twenty-one  millions  of  dollars.  A large 
proportion  of  this  immense  amount  of  Russian  produce  is 
taken  for  eastern  exportation,  and  carried  by  the  way  of 
Kiakhta,  into  China  ; — from  various  points  of  the  border, 
into  Independent  Tartary;  and  across  the  Caspian,  into 
Persia.  It  is  in  these  distant  regions,  that  Russia  finds  a 
profitable  market  for  her  domestic  fabrics,  and  through  the 
agencies  employed,  at  the  annual  fair  at  Nischnei,  that 
market  is,  opened  and  supplied.  Her  traffic  with  Asia  is 
greatly  on  the  increase,  and  largely  in  her  favor.  Her 
active  policy,  assisting  and  assisted  by  the  perseverance  of 
her  traders,  has  enabled  her  to  open  a communication  and 
secure  commercial^  privileges,  which  Great  Britain,  for  a 
hundred  years,  had  in  vain  endeavored  to  attain. 

Caravans  which  leave  Orenburg,  consisting  sometimes 
of  thirty  thousand  men,  traverse  a great  extent  of  west- 
ern and  northern  Asia,  partly  by  the  same  route  which 
was  followed  by  the  ancients  in  their  expeditions  from 
Byzantium  to  the  frontiers  of  China ; — frequent  the  distant 
fairs  of  Thibet,  Yarkand,  and  Bokara,  and  penetrate  to  the 
remote  regions  of  northern  India, — regions  better  known  to 
the  Russian  agents  than  to  any  other  European  people, — the 
religion,  language,  and  character  of  whose  inhabitants  are 
perfectly  familiar  to  many  of  the  employes  of  a certain  sec- 
tion in  the  department  of  foreign  affairs  in  St.  Petersburg. 

The  influence  of  Russia  in  the  east,  sustained  and  aug- 
mented by  this  commercial  intercourse,  is  being  cemented 


280 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


and  secured  by  diplomatic  art,  and  extending  from  tribe  to 
tribe,  and  from  province  to  province,  it  will  pass  on  without 
a rival,  until  it  is  arrested  somewhere  near  the  Indus  by  the 
British  bayonet.  As  early  as  1735,  several  conquered  and 
useless  provinces  were  restored  to  Persia,  upon  condition 
that  the  Russians  should  enjoy  certain  commercial  privileges 
in  that  country.  The  whole  of  the  Persian  trade  has  since 
that  time  been  monopolized  by  them,  and  every  facility  has 
been  afforded  the  merchants  in  their  operations  with  the 
tribes  farther  to  the  eastward.  Russian  commerce  is  ex- 
tending also  across  the  north  of  the  Scandinavian  penin- 
sula. By  a treaty  made  with  Sweden  in  1828,  Russia  has 
secured  a free  trade  to  the  north  of  the  port  of  Tromsoe. 
Some  five  hundred  vessels  from  the  coasts  of  the  White  Sea 
trade  with  Lapmark,  and  the  Lafodden  Islands,  and  the 
natives  of  habitable  regions  within  the  Arctic  circle, 

“ Who  boast  the  treasures  of  their  Northern  seas, 

And  pass  long  nights  in  revelry  and  ease.” 

Only  four  years  before  this  treaty  with  Sweden,  by  which 
Russia  obtained  this  free  trade  in  the  far  north,  a convention 
was  concluded  between  the  latter  power  and  the  United 
States  of  a very  different  character.  By  this  convention 
it  was  substantially  agreed  that,  in  ten  years  thereafter, 
citizens  of  the  United  States  should  neither  frequent  the 
harbors,  nor  settle,  nor  trade  upon  the  Pacific  coast  of  the 
North  American  continent  north  of  54°  40',  without  per- 
mission from  the  Russian  government.  This  singular  con- 
cession, by  which  the  North  Pacific  is  to  all  intents  and 
purposes  a mare  clausum,  so  far  as  the  United  States  are 
concerned,  has  secured  to  the  Russian  American  Fur  Com- 


THE  NORTH  PACIFIC. 


281 


pany  the  monopoly  of  a lucrative  commerce ; to  the  Rus- 
sian merchants  an  exclusive  trade  in  the  North  Pacific,  and 
the  exclusive  privilege  of  passing  with  their  peltries  over  the 
great  northern  roads  into  the  Chinese  frontiers. 

Russian  vessels  are  not  permitted  to  enter  Canton.  When 
Krusenstern  appeared  off  that  port,  during  his  celebrated 
voyage  round  the  world,  the  Chinese  denied  his  right  to  dis- 
play the  Russian  flag,  and  denounced  him  as  sailing  under 
false  colors.  They  could  not  comprehend  how  he  managed 
to  arrive  at  Canton  by  water,  and  have  ever  since  invariably 
refused  admittance  to  all  Russian  merchantmen.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  singular  ignorance  or  caprice,  the  traffic 
between  the  two  empires  is  principally  conducted  overland  ; 
and  hence,  perhaps,  the  anxiety  of  Russia  to  open  for  her- 
self, and  close  to  others,  the  navigation  of  the  northern  seas. 

The  trade  of  the  Americans  on  the  north-west  coast  has 
dwindled  into  insignificance,  being  confined  to  the  few  ves- 
sels that  carry  provisions  from  California  to  the  Russian 
settlements  on  the  northern  coasts.  The  Russian  mission 
at  Pekin,  which  was  established  under  the  pretence  of  being 
simply  an  institution  for  the  study  of  the  language,  has  as- 
sumed a political  character.  Strenuous  efforts  are  being 
made  to  establish  commercial  relations  with  the  Chinese,  by 
which  merchants  will  be  protected  from  the  attacks  of  the 
Mongol  tribes,  and  the  extortions  of  Chinese  speculators, 
and  by  which  Russia  may  secure  the  entire  commerce  of 
the  north. 


282 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Various  Nations  at  the  Fair — Tea  Houses — Tractirs — Cuisine — Sterlet  Soup 
— Caviare  — Wines  — Dissipation  — Woman — Music — Gipsies — Shows — 
Convents — Cossacks. 

It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  animation  that  prevailed 
in  and  about  the  fair  of  Nischnei.  It  is  useless  to  attempt 
to  portray  the  various  people  who  were  there  assembled. 
It  has  been  estimated,  that  the  inhabitants  of  the  Empire 
form  at  least  eighty  different  nations.  To  state  that  most 
of  these  were  represented,  and  mingled  with  the  Swedes 
and  Danes,  and  others  from  the  west ; as  well  as  with  those 
who  came  from  different  parts  of  Asia,  is  sufficient  in  it- 
self to  illustrate  the  singular  interest  of  Nischnei  fair. 
Greeks,  Arnauts,  and  Albanians  from  beyond  the  Black 
Sea ; Armenians,  Persians,  and  Arabs  from  beyond  the  Cas- 
pian ; Servians,  Croatians,  and  Walachians  from  beyond  the 
Danube  ; Kirghises  and  Baschkirs,  from  the  tribes  of  hun- 
ters and  herdsmen  beyond  the  Urals ; Bucharians  and  Kal- 
mucks, Turks  and  Tartars,  and  every  variety  of  men, 
gave  to  Nischnei  the  sounds  and  confusion  of  another 
Babel. 

Activity,  anxiety,  the  air  of  business,  the  whispers  of 
speculations  and  of  sales,  of  prices  and  profits,  and  all  the 
peculiarities  of  merchants  and  markets,  the  wide  world 
over,  were  exhibited  here.  The  “ pressure”  and  the  “ times” 
were  the  burden  of  the  song  of  Jew  and  Gentile,  and  we 


TEA  HOUSES. 


283 


really  did  not  know,  whether  to  be  mortified  or  flattered, 
when  a banker  of  some  pretension  to  sagacity,  traced 
the  scarcity  of  money  and  the  unusual  stagnation  of  trade 
to  commercial  embarrassments  which  had  so  lately  afflicted 
our  distant  country.  Early  in  the  evening  the  shops  were 
closed,  and  shows  and  theatres  were  opened.  Thousands 
thronged  the  streets,  or  occupied  the  places  of  amusement 
and  refreshment.  The  tea-houses  were  a favorite  resort  of 
the  Russian  merchants,  who  talked  over  the  transactions  of 
the  day,  while  sipping  a glass  of  the  much-loved  beverage, 
or  smoking  the  common  Turkish  pipe,  filled  with  the  to- 
bacco of  Podolia. 

Teas  which  reach  Europe  and  America  from  Canton, 
are  either  inferior  in  quality,  or  adulterated  or  injured  by 
the  voyage.  Those  brought  by  the  Russians  overland  from 
Kiakhta  are  pure,  and  of  the  finest  quality.  They  are  of 
various  prices  and  descriptions,  from  the  Semipolatinsky,  a 
good  ordinary  black  tea  at  one  dollar  the  pound, — to  the 
Foutchanskoy,  a fine  green  tea,  with  a delicious  bouquet, 
selling  at  eleven  dollars  per  pound.  The  very  best  black 
teas  sell  for  seven  and  eight  dollars,  the  yellow  as  high  as 
twenty,  and  the  golden-colored  Foutchanskoy  at  seven. 
Green  tea,  never  used  by  the  Chinese,  is  very  little  used  by 
the  Russians,  being  considered  injurious  in  its  effects.  The 
preparation  is  very  simple.  The  water  is  boiled  in  a Sam- 
ovar ; an  urn  made  of  a composition  of  brass  and  copper, 
provided  with  a chimney,  and  having  an  open  furnace  be- 
neath, in  which  the  ignited  charcoal  is  kept  burning  by  the 
draught  of  air  constantly  passing  through.  The  water  when 
boiled,  is  poured  upon  the  tea,  which  is  not  made  strong, 
dark-colored,  or  astringent,  or  permitted  to  draw  until  the 


284 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


flavor  and  aroma  are  both  gone.  It  is  well  sweetened  but 
never  diluted  with  milk. 

The  Tractirs  or  eating-houses,  filled  to  overflowing,  fur- 
nished the  fare  peculiar  to  almost  every  people.  The 
cuisine  of  the  east  rivalled  that  of  the  west,  in  variety  if 
not  in  excellence.  Delicacies  of  the  Parisian  restau- 
rant ; dainties  of  the  Persian  nabob  ; the  tongue  of  the 
reindeer  from  Archangel ; grapes,  olives,  figs,  and  mel- 
ons, from  the  southern  provinces  ; delicious  sterlets  from 
the  Volga,  and  sturgeon  from  the  Caspian,  were  in  great 
demand,  and  in  great  abundance.  If  we  sighed  with 
patriotic  emotion  because  canvas-backs,  York-bays  and 
green  turtle  were  not  seen  at  this  feast  of  nations,  so 
sighed,  perhaps,  the  newly  arrived  Celestials,  over  the  mem- 
ory of  the  soup  of  birds-nests.  But  sighs  were  too  short- 
wfinded  to  compete  with  smiles  in  such  a scene  as  this, 
and  though  we  had  not  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  gen- 
tlemen from  China,  we  at  least  presumed  that  all  was  as 
novel  to  them  as  to  ourselves.  Our  cicerone  was  a gour- 
mand, and  consumed  various  dishes  which  were  ordered 
for  the  inspection  of  his  companions.  It  is  impossible  to 
enumerate  the  stews  and  hashes,  compounded  of  fish,  flesh, 
and  fowl,  w hich  we  could  not  eat,  but  which  the  indefatiga- 
ble captain  pronounced  delicious.  The  sterlet-soup  is  con- 
sidered the  greatest  of  all  the  luxuries  of  the  Russian  table. 
A single  sterlet  is  frequently  sold  at  St.  Petersburg  for  three 
hundred  dollars.  It  is  from  the  sterlet  and  the  sturgeon, 
which  are  much  the  same  in  appearance,  that  the  caviare 
is  obtained.  The  fish  is  opened  as  soon  as  it  is  caught,  the 
roe  is  taken  out  and  sprinkled  with  salt,  and  eaten  as  cav- 
iare. When  fresh  it  is  very  fine.  During  Lent  it  is  car- 


FRACTIRS 


285 


ried  by  post-horses  from  the  Caspian,  to  Moscow  and  St. 
Petersburg. 

Besides  all  these  dainties,  there  was  every  variety  of 
wine,  including  that  of  the  Crimea;  the  imitation  Sillery 
from  the  banks  of  the  Don,  equal  in  flavor  to  the  Cham- 
paign of  New  Jersey;  the  real  Cliquot,  and  pure  Bordeaux 
and  Burgundy.  There  was  also  almost  every  kind  of 
liquor, — cordials  which  are  taken  by  the  Russians  to 
whet  the  appetite,  and  even  bottled  ales  and  porters  of 
Great  Britain,  were  here  in  spite  of.  the  prohibited  im- 
portation. The  dissipation  and  extravagance  that  pre- 
vailed exceed  all  belief.  Numerous  were  the  Gebers  or  the 
worshippers  of  fire,  now  ardently  devoted  to  the  sparkling 
wine  of  France  ; numerous  the  Mahometans,  whose  eccen- 
tricity of  conduct  set  at  defiance  the  grave  precepts  of  the 
Koran ; numberless  the  Russian  traders,  who  since  the 
late  fast,  had  already  regained  the  ruby  redness  of  nose  and 
wonderful  rotundity  of  figure.  There  was  all  that  ever 
graced  a carnival,  excepting  mask  and  domino — all  that 
ever  flourished  in  immortal  Donnybrook,  excepting  the 
shilaleh.  Shilalehs  are  prohibited  in  Russia,  and  the  whip 
of  the  policeman  was  unopposed  at  Nischnei. 

Thousands  of  forlorn  women,  from  the  London  street- 
walker to  black-eyed  damsels  who  hailed  from  the  Isle  of 
Saphho,  had  wandered  hither,  and  the  saloons  re-echoed 
with  the  minstrelsy  of  every  land.  We  heard  voices 
and  harps  of  singing  girls  from  the  banks  of  the  Rhine 
and  Danube  ; we  were  entertained  with  the  music  and 
dances  of  a party  of  Muscovites,  whose  performance  re- 
minded us  of  the  exhibitions  of  the  Choctaws ; and  we 
witnessed  the  singular  antics  of  a troupe  of  dark-brown 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Gipseys.  The  latter  were  the  far-famed  Tsigani,  the  wild 
Bayaderes,  whose  superior  spirit  or  apparent  independence, 
is  quite  conspicuous  in  Russia.  Their  women  are  very 
beautiful,  and  some  of  them  have  intermarried  with  the  best 
families  in  the  Empire.  Their  supple  movements,  melodi- 
ous voices,  and  brilliant  eyes,  with  lids  and  lashes  dyed 
like  those  of  the  Egyptian  almahs,  are  skilfully  employed 
to  fascinate  the  Russian  nobles.  A famous  Russian  song 
“ Tene  par  verish ,”  Believe  not  thou  art  beloved,  was  sung 
by  the  Gipsey  queen.  The  Gipsey  dance,  although  very 
much  in  step  and  movement,  like  what  they  call  at  Com- 
munipaw  “ a regular  heel  and  toe/’  excels  it  much  in  quick- 
ness and  animation, — the  male  performer  holding  himself 
erect,  looking  daggers  and  unutterable  things,  and  the  fe- 
male indulging  in  wanton  movements,  while  both  are  ex- 
horted to  “ put  it  down”  by  a wild  and  excited  chorus 
ofAhe  Gipsey  band. 

Under  the  guidance  of  our  epauletted  cicerone,  we  went 
almost  everywhere,  and  wherever  we  went,  we  never  failed 
to  produce  a sensation  among  the  Orientals,  who  had  never 
seen  or  heard  before  of  the  Amerakanskoi.  A troop  of 
mounted  Cossacks,  with  lash,  lance  and  fierce  houria, 
running  before  the  carriage  cleared  the  way,  and  before  the 
captain  could  say,  “ sesame,”  every  door  was  opened.  His 
presence  silenced  the  boisterous  merriment  of  the  crowd ; 
and  his  orders  were  instantly  obeyed.  On  one  occasion  we 
entered  a theatre,  a shabby  affair,  filled-  with  the  most  het- 
erogeneous audience  that  could  be  assembled.  Our  military 
friend  immediately  arrested  the  perfomance,  and  directed 
the  company  to  play  for  our  special  edification,  a piece  that 
he  considered  of  greater  merit  than  that  being  acted.  One 


A CONVENT. 


287 


evening  he  took  us  to  a convent,  in  which  was  domiciled 
several  hundred  nuns.  It  was  late,  the  gates  were  closed, 
and  the  inmates  of  the  establishment  had  retired  for  the 
night.  The  Cossacks  thumped  against  the  great  doors 
leading  into  the  courts,  and  by  dint  of  thumping  and  loud 
cries,  the  nuns  were  awakened,  the  gates  were  opened,  and 
we  entered  at  a most  mysterious  hour,  within  the  walls  of 
a most  mysterious  building.  Lights  were  brought;  the 
wax  tapers  before  the  images  of  the  Virgin  and  the  saints, 
were  all  illumined.  We  saw  the  jewels  about  the  altar, 
but  the  few  ladies  who  ventured  near  us  were  both  old 
and  ugly,  while  those  arrayed  in  white,  who  gazed  from  the 
obscure  galleries,  or  flitted  about  the  distant  passages  of  the 
chapel,  seemed  as  indistinct  and  vaporous  as  phantoms,  al- 
though the  gallant  captain  plainly  insinuated  that  some  of 
them  were  full  of  life  and  beauty.  It  was  often  after  mid- 
night, long  after  the  sounds  of  revelry  had  ceased,  that  we 
left  the  fair  ground,  but  the  Cossacks  were  always  in  the 
saddle ; the  Captain  had  the  word ; the  sentinels  were 
passed  ; the  drawbridge  was  lowered  ; the  Oka  was  re= 
crossed;  and  again  we  slumbered  in  the  YermoilofF hotel. 


288 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The  Governor’s  Palace — The  Volga — Its  navigation — River  Craft — Scenery 
— Oarsmen — Russian  Song — Arrival  at  Kazan — The  Club-house. 

The  time  flew  rapidly  at  Nischnei.  The  palace  of  the 
governor-general  was  within  the  walls  of  the  old  Kremlin 
upon  the  hill.  A numerous  party  of  distinguished  visitors 
attracted  from  every  land,  by  this  famous  fair,  assembled 
there  every  day.  It  would  be  superfluous  to  set  forth  more 
particularly  the  names  or  the  notions  of  the  various  gen- 
tlemen and  gentlewomen  who  were  present  at  the  delightful 
entertainments  of  the  governor. 

Among  those  we  met  there  was  Matskoi,  a young  Russian 
nobleman  who  proposed  to  join  us  in  a visit  to  Kazan.  A 
boat  called  a romskoi,  whose  appearance  recalled  the  poet’s 
description  of  the  high-prowed  galleys  of  the  Greeks,  such 
as  with  Ulysses  ploughed  the  azure  main,  was  hired  and 
prepared  for  the  voyage.  It  was  one  of  the  common  river 
craft,  open  from  stem  to  stern.  A shed  covered  with  mat- 
ting was  erected  aft  to  protect  us  from  the  unwholesome 
night  air,  and  a sort  of  bean-pole  mast,  and  some  pieces  of 
canvas,  were  prepared  to  take  advantage  of  whatever  wind 
might  favor.  The  owner  of  the  boat  was  to  act  as  cap- 
tain, furnish  ten  stout  oarsmen,  and  Laronne  was  to  pro- 
vide all  that  was  necessary,  not  forgetting  the  samovar, 
wherewith  we  could  enjoy  the  true  flavor  of  the  bohea. 


THE  VOLGA. 


289 


When  all  was  ready,  we  embarked,  and  commenced  the 
journey  down  the  Volga  the  largest  of  European  rivers,  and 
which  from  the  Valdai  hills  to  the  Caspian  Sea,  pursues  a 
course  of  more  than  two  thousand  miles.  It  is  the  great 
link  in  the  chain  of  canal  and  river  communication  between 
the  Baltic  and  the  Caspian.  More  than  ten  thousand  boats 
of  various  descriptions,  loaded  with  the  products  of  the  cen- 
tral provinces,  descend  the  river  annually.  During  the  sum- 
mer three  hundred  thousand  men  are  employed  in  its  navi- 
gation. It  is  frozen  at  Nischnei  from  the  first  of  November 
to  the  first  of  May.  The  government  have  projected  a line 
of  steam-boats  of  light  draft  like  those  used  upon  the  rivers 
of  the  United  States,  to  run  from  Nischnei  to  Astrakan. 
During  a sail  of  many  hundred  versts  upon  its  winding  and 
muddy  current,  it  did  not  appear  to  exceed  one  mile  in  width, 
and  so  shallow  was  it  at  this  time,  that  our  little  bark  was 
frequently  stranded  upon  the  sands,  which  are  washed  from 
shore  to  shore,  and  from  channel  to  channel,  by  the  sud- 
den and  tremendous  freshets  of  the  spring-time.  The 
shores  in  some  places,  are  wild  and  pretty,  often  bold 
and  striking ; but  uncultivated,  uninhabited,  and  almost 
wholly  destitute  of  timber,  they  wore  a most  desolate  ap- 
pearance. We  saw  no  fine  forest,  and  beyond  a few  wood- 
lands of  white  birch,  and  extensive  tracts  of  stunted  pine, 
nature  did  not  seem  so  bountiful,  as  report  had  led  us  to 
imagine.  Nothing  occurred  during  the  voyage  to  mar  the 
usual  quiet  of  Russian  travel.  Ten  bearded  oarsmen, 
who  might  have  been  considered  suspicious  and  piratical- 
looking  fellows  upon  the  high  seas,  behaved  remarkably 
well  upon  the  Volga.  The  wind  was  contrary,  the  current 
was  not  strong,  and  they  plied  their  oars  by  night  and  day 

13 


290 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


without  interruption,  one  party  relieving  the  other  at  inter- 
vals, so  that  each  might  have  a nap  on  the  hard  bottom  of 
the  boat,  or  make  a light  repast  upon  the  black  bread  soaked 
in  the  water  of  the  Volga.  This,  sprinkled  with  a little  salt 
was  the  sole  nourishment  of  these  men.  We  were  pleased 
with  their  patient  and  uncomplaining  spirit,  and  we  listened 
with  interest  to  their  wild  songs  which,  like  all  Russian 
strains,  were  in  a minor  key  and  of  a plaintive  character, 
resembling  somewhat,  the  nasal,  melancholy  twang  of  a 
camp-meeting  chorus. 

The  monotony  of  the  voyage  was  seldom  interrupted. 
Once  we  landed  near  a market  town,  to  buy  some  delic- 
ious honey  for  which  this  country  is  remarkable,  and  fre- 
quently we  were  delayed  by  shoals  and  sand-banks  which 
obstructed  the  channel.  No  incident  of  interest  disturbed 
our  progress,  and  we  lay  upon  the  mats  within  the  cabin, 
smoking  the  troubka  or  long  pipe  ; looking  out  upon  the 
unvarying  scene,  upon  the  sluggish  waters  and  the  sterile 
shore  ; and  thinking  at  one  time  of  our  journey  on  the  Nile, 
and  at  another  of  our  home  upon  the  Hudson.  We  passed 
many  clumsy,  rudely-carved,  and  curiously  painted  craft, 
something  like  the  Chinese  junks,  with  galley-shaped  poops, 
and  masts  colored  precisely  after  the  fashion  of  a barber’s 
pole,  and  staffs  bedecked  with  streamers.  Very  little  iron  is 
employed  in  the  construction  of  these  boats,  the  thick  planks 
being  fastened  with  wooden  pins.  Each  one  had  an  image 
of  St.  Nicholas  conspicuously  fixed  to  some  part  of  its  huge 
and  unwieldy  stern.  Women,  with  ropes  about  the  neck 
and  shoulders,  walked  along  the  bank,  hauling  or  cordel- 
ling  as  it  is  called  upon  the  Mississippi,  boats  against  the 
current,  while  the  men,  their  husbands,  sleeping  or  sing- 


TOE  CLUB  HOUSE. 


291 


mg,  remained  on  board.  Happier  far  the  wives  and  concu- 
bines who  live  and  love  beneath  the  laws  and  legends  of 
the  Musssulmen ! 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  of  our  voyage,  a bit  of 
canvas,  fastened  to  what  was  called  the  mast,  caught  a 
fair  breeze  and  we  hastened  onward.  A broad  bend  in 
the  river  opened  to  view  fields  and  meadows  extending 
about  the  base  of  the  elevation,  upon  which  conspicuous 
were  seen  the  domes  and  minarets  of  the  Tartar  capital. 
We  reached  the  harbor,  climbed  the  bank,  obtained  dros- 
keys  and  started  for  the  city.  The  road  traversing  a flat, 
covered  with  water  in  the  spring  time,  was  now  parched  in 
the  summer  sun.  A drive  for  a mile  in  clouds  of  dust, 
through  which  appeared  the  broad-brimmed  white  hats  of 
Tartar  teamsters,  took  us  to  the  gates  of  Kazan.  We 
lingered  here  to  receive  our  passports,  and  make  inquiries 
respecting  the  hotels.  Hotels  had  not  yet  been  established 
in  this  quarter  of  the  world,  and  an  officer  on  duty  directed 
us  to  a caravansary.  Our  Russian  companion  had  heard  in 
Moscow  of  the  Club-house  of  the  nobles  of  Kazan,  and 
thought  we  might  find  accommodation  there.  Thither  we 
repaired,  passing  on  the  way  over  smooth  wooden  pave- 
ments, and  through  handsome  streets  lined  with  palaces, 
churches,  convents,  and  fine  dwellings. 

The  Club-house  was  a large  wooden  building,  with  piaz- 
zas extending  around  a court-yard,  which  was  entered 
from  the  street.  The  keeper,  an  old  and  respectable-look- 
ing German,  made  his  appearance,  and  in  answer  to  our 
request  for  bed  and  board,  stated  that  he  was  not  author- 
ized to  entertain  strangers,  although  he  had  plenty  of  room 
to  do  so,  as  most  of  the  members  of  the  club  were  out  of 


292 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


town.  The  Russian  then  announced  his  name  and  title, 
which  seemed  to  satisfy  the  old  man,  for  he  immediately 
invited  us  to  enter,  and  assigned  us  rooms  in  the  almost 
deserted  mansion. 


THE  GOLDEN  HORDE. 


293 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

The  Khans  of  the  Golden  Horde — Tartars  and  Tartar  dwellings — Religion 
and  Hospitality  of  the  Tartars — The  German  Brothers — Omarsing. 

The  successors  of  Ghengis,  after  overrunning  the  whole 
of  northern  Europe,  returned  to  the  banks  of  the  Volga,  and 
established  at  Kazan  the  seat  of  the  empire  of  the  Khans  of 
the  Kaptschak,  called,  from  the  gorgeous  splendor  of  the 
tents,  the  Khan  of  the  Golden  Horde. 

The  Kaptschak  formed  one  of  the  great  divisions  of  the 
Mongol  tribes,  and  for  two  hundred  years  maintained  its 
importance,  from  immense  tributes  and  revenues  received 
from  Russian  princes,  and  the  conquered  provinces  of  the 
west.  In  the  fourteenth  century,  Tamerlane,  the  scourge 
of  God,  extending  his  conquests  from  the  capital  of 
Hindostan  to  the  countries  upon  the  Baltic,  almost  anni- 
hilated the  power  of  the  Golden  Horde ; and  in  less  than  a 
hundred  years  thereafter,  the  Russians  refused  their  tribute, 
and  Ivan  the  Great  triumphed  in  turn,  and  took  possession 
of  the  Kaptschak.  But  the  Tartars  of  Kazan  were  unsub- 
dued, and  as  late  as  1552,  they  rebelled  and  took  up  arms 
against  the  Russians.  They  were  again  reduced  by  Ivan 
the  Terrible,  their  mosques  turned  into  Christian  temples, 
the  Khan  and  the  principal  men  forcibly  baptized,  and  the 
Russian  dominion  firmly  and  forever  established  upon  the 
lower  Volga.  Nothing  remained  to  attest  the  magnificence 
of  the  fierce  chieftains  of  the  Golden  Horde.  A beautiful 


294 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


city  arose  where  Baty  had  pitched  his  tents  of  silk  and  gold, 
and  a queer  and  quaint  old  Kremlin,  standing  yet,  is  the 
only  memento  of  the  empire  of  the  Kaptschack.  The 
modern  city  is  Russian  in  character  and  appearance,  and 
the  third  in  the  Empire  in  size  and  population.  It  is 
the  depot  of  the  Chinese  and  Siberian  trade,  and  is  cele- 
brated for  its  manufactures  of  soap  and  leather.  It  con- 
tains about  fifty  thousand  inhabitants,  one-fourth  of  whom 
are  Tartars,  living  in  a separate  quarter  of  the  town. 

The  neat  and  comfortable  looking  dwellings  of  the  Tar- 
tars, contrast  strangely  with  the  towering  edifices  of  the 
Russians.  They  are  two  stories  high,  the  upper  one  only 
having  windows  upon  the  street,  and  these  so  high  above 
the  pavement,  as  to  defy  the  tiptoe  efforts  of  the  curious. 
There  is  neither  porch  nor  portico  in  front ; the  entrance 
to  the  premises  being  through  a gate,  leading  into  gar- 
dens with  which  each  house  is  surrounded.  These  gardens 
are  inclosed  by  high  fences,  over  which  the  linden  and 
mountain-ash  intermingle  their  branches  and  thick  foliage, 
as  if  anxious  to  provide  still  more  against  impertinent  intru- 
sion upon  the  terrestrial  paradise  of  the  Tartar.  We  looked 
in  vain  upon  the  trellised  windows,  and  through  the  garden 
gates,  for  a peep  at  the  damsels,  who  live  like  sultanas,  in 
seclusion.  We  saw  them  not,  and  because  we  did  not  see 
them,  we  fancied  they  were  beauties.  The  men  are  a hand- 
some, athletic  race,  with  fine  eyes  and  faces  indicating  in- 
telligence and  great  good-humor.  Upon  their  closely  shaven 
heads,  they  wear  the  turban,  or  a skull-cap,  worked  with 
threads  of  gold  and  silver.  Loose  trousers,  shirt,  end  vest 
of  embroidered  silk,  are  covered  with  a dark  flowing 
robe,  bound  about  the  waist  with  a shawl.  Yellow  boots 


THE  TARTARS. 


295 


of  soft  leather  like  morocco,  without  heels  or  soles,  are 
worn  in  the  streets  with  shoes  or  slippers.  They  are 
among  the  most  industrious  subjects  of  the  Czar,  and  in 
manners,  as  in  appearance,  immeasurably  superior  to  the 
common  Russians.  They  have  also  the  reputation  of  ex- 
celling their  conquerors  in  generosity,  integrity,  and  intelli- 
gence, which  may  easily  be,  since  these  are  virtues  which 
cannot  possibly  exist  among  a people  so  completely  reduced 
to  slavery  as  are  the  Russians.  The  Tartars,  Malo  Rus- 
sians, and  the  Poles,  and  every  conquered  tribe  within  the 
bounds  of  this  great  Empire,  who  have  as  yet  retained  their 
personal  freedom,  or  having  lost  it,  do  yet  bear  it  in  remem- 
brance, so  far  as  the  natural  instincts  of  honor  and  morality 
are  concerned,  are  far  superior  to  the  slaves  of  Great  Rus- 
sia. The  Tartars  of  Kazan  are  of  the  Turkish  branch  of 
the  Mongolian  family,  and  speak  the  Turkish  language, 
much  as  it  is  spoken  in  Constantinople.  Notwithstanding 
the  efforts  of  the  Russians  for  their  conversion,  they  are 
generally  steadfast  in  their  devotion  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Koran,  and  carefully  educate  their  children  in  its  precepts. 
Polygamy  is  not  unlawful,  but  very  few  take  more  than  one 
wife.  They  are  more  tolerant,  charitable,  and  hospitable 
than  their  neighbors  of  the  Greek  faith.  A Christian 
stranger,  whose  respectability  entitles  him  to  attention,  will 
be  invited  to  enter  the  house  of  the  Tartar.  He  will  see 
the  wife,  or  the  wives,  as  it  may  be.  The  picture  of  do- 
mestic happiness  will  perhaps  surprise  him.  He  may  have 
heard  in  childhood,  the  dreadful  story  of  old  Blue  Beard,  or 
of  some  cruel  husband  called  a Turk,  or  he  may  have  grown 
up  to  manhood,  with  ideas  of  the  superior  social  and  moral 
excellencies  of  the  Europeans.  With  all  this,  and  particu- 


296 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


larly  after  what  he  has  seen  in  European  and  Christian  Rus- 
sia, during  his  journey  from  the  Baltic  to  the  confines  of 
Asia,  he  will  be  able  to  rectify  his  prejudices  and  receive 
better  impressions  of  Oriental  life,  by  witnessing  the  natural 
tone  of  refinement,  temperance  and  chastity  that  prevail 
in  the  patriarchal  households  of  the  semi-Asiatic  popula- 
tion of  Kazan. 

This  fine  city  is  the  resort  of  the  gentry  of  the  eastern 
provinces  of  Russia  during  the  winter  time ; but  when  the 
dog-star  rages,  it  is  deserted  by  all  fashionable  folk,  and  is 
as  dull  and  as  dusty  as  capitals  general  at  this  season. 
Two  of  those  to  whom  we  were  especially  recommended 
for  attention  and  advice,  had  fortunately  remained  in  town. 
These  were  Germans,  brothers,  bachelors  and  bankers. 
Their  habitation  was  the  concentration  of  all  those  com- 
forts and  contrivances  which  so  exalt  a life  of  single  bless- 
edness. The  upper  rooms  were  used  as  winter-quarters, 
and  a capacious  basement,  with  cool  wine-vaults  adjoin- 
ing, served  as  a retreat  during  the  warm  days  of  the  vaca- 
tion. 

Never  was  a subterranean  chamber  more  agreeable.  Its 
garniture,  though  simple,  was  elegant,  and  its  temperature 
delightful.  The  repasts  of  the  brothers  were  such  as  bach- 
elors and  bankers  can  afford.  During  the  sultry  hours  of 
noon,  the  divans  were  occupied  by  reclining  guests,  who 
smoked  the  fragrant  weed  from  the  plains  of  Shiraz,  and  lis- 
tened to  the  guitar,  the  piano,  and  the  songs  of  the  Fa- 
therland. Several  rich  Tartars,  and  a learned  Persian,  a 
professor  in  the  University,  Omarsing  by  name,  frequented 
this  abode.  Omarsing  was  w7ell  versed  in  the  Oriental  lan- 
guages, and  was  perfectly  familiar  with  both  the  Russian 


OMARSING. 


297 


and  the  English.  Through  his  interpretation,  we  were  en- 
abled to  hold  converse  with  the  Tartars.  These  gentle  and 
intelligent-looking  men  had  never  heard  of  America,  and 
seemed  to  have  no  suspicion  whatever  as  to  its  where- 
abouts. Even  the  learned  professors  of  the  University, 
evinced  a most  deplorable  deficiency  of  geographical  ac- 
quirement. Our  gallant  comrade  of  Kentucky,  who  had 
travelled  half  the  wide  world  over,  who  had  climbed  the 
Andes,  had  perilled  life  and  limb  in  Indian  warfare  when 
the  Ohio  was  a wilderness,  and  who  loved  of  all  things,  to 
tell  the  story  of  the  settlement  of  the  great  Valley  of  the 
West,  was  asked  in  the  midst  of  a statistical  exposition  of 
the  progress  of  the  United  States,  by  one  of  these  wise  men 
of  the  East,  whether  the  Mississippi  was  in  North  or  South 
America.  Imagine  the  surprise  of  old  Kentucky  at  the  su- 
perficial education  of  the  Tartars.  “Barbarians,”  he  ex- 
claimed, “ to  be  unmindful  of  a hemisphere  ! Scythians  ! 
profoundly  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  the  glorious  eight- 
and-twenty !” 


13* 


298 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

The  Great  Fire — Procession  of  the  Host — The  Deserted  Caravansary — Fire  in 
the  Tartar  Quarter — Tartar  Women — Retreat  from  Kazan — Disaster  on  the 
Road — Sudden  Cold. 

We  had  visited  the  mosques  and  witnessed  the  devotions 
of  the  Mussulmen, — we  had  been  with  the  German  brothers 
to  the  public  gardens  in  the  environs, — we  had  seen  the 
pyramid  that  stands  upon  the  battle-ground  near  the  town, 
where  the  Tartars  were  defeated  with  prodigious  slaugh- 
ter in  1552;  with  the  keeper  of  this  monument,  an  old 
Russian  soldier,  who  had  entered  Paris  with  the  allies  in 
1814,  we  had  descended  into  the  vaults  beneath,  filled  with 
the  skulls  of  those  who  fell  fighting  against  the  infidels,  and 
who  on  this  account  are  supposed  by  the  Russians  to  have 
gained  the  fields  of  Paradise; — we  had,  moreover,  been  asked 
to  visit  the  house  of  a Tartar  of  distinction, — and  the  city 
had  been  thrown  into  excitement  by  the  arrival  of  the  min- 
ister of  the  domains.  The  governor  had  issued  cards  of 
invitation  to  an  entertainment  in  honor  of  this  distinguished 
personage,  when  an  event  of  a most  serious  character,  ter- 
minated at  once  our  anticipations  of  further  pleasure. 

On  the  morning  of  the  seventeenth  of  September,  a fire 
broke  out  in  the  vicinity  of  our  lodging.  Curiosity  induced 
us  to  repair  to  the  scene  of  the  disaster.  It  was  evident 
from  the  mismanagement  of  the  people,  as  well  as  from  the 
extreme  drought  that  prevailed,  that  some  time  would  elapse 


THE  FIRE. 


299 


before  it  could  be  subdued.  We  drove  back  to  the  Club- 
house, with  the  expectation  of  obtaining  a better  view  of 
the  conflagration  from  the  belvidere.  We  found  this  noble 
building  already  in  flames.  It  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
we  saved  a few  articles  of  clothing.  The  flames  were  now 
spreading  with  fearful  rapidity.  The  glowing  embers  con- 
cealed in  clouds  of  smoke,  and  carried  by  the  wind  into  dif- 
ferent quarters  of  the  city,  fell  upon  the  dry  roofs,  which, 
crisping  and  crackling  with  the  touch  of  fire,  were  wrapped 
almost  instantly  in  its  embraces.  The  efforts  of  the  police, 
whose  powerless  engines  and  leaking  hose,  supplied  with 
water  brought  from  a distance,  were  wholly  inefficient. 
Their  exertions,  badly  directed,  began  to  fail.  The  gov- 
ernor, attended  as  usual  with  a numerous  and  brilliant  staff, 
arrived  with  a reinforcement  of  firemen.  But  he  effected 
nothing,  and  the  increase  of  numbers  only  increased  the 
general  confusion. 

The  large  observatory  of  the  University  ; many  of  the 
churches  and  palaces ; the  governor’s  residence  and  the 
governor’s  dinner,  were  all  destroyed.  Despair  was  pic- 
tured upon  every  face.  Men,  women,  and  children,  crying 
and  complaining,  hastened  to  leave  the  town  with  what  lit- 
tle they  could  save ; strong  detachments  of  soldiers  con- 
veyed the  private  papers  and  the  property  of  the  governor 
to  the  stone  buildings  of  the  Kremlin,  and  those  whose 
houses  had  as  yet  escaped,  held  aloft  before  their  portals 
the  image  of  the  Virgin,  in  expectation  of  the  divine  inter- 
cession. The  Host,  before  which  the  multitude  fell  pros- 
trate, was  carried  about  by  priests  in  sacred  robes,  chanting 
sacred  song.  At  an  early  hour,  we  hastened  with  a car- 
riage to  the  assistance  of  the  family  of  Prince  D — — . His 


300 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


palace  was  in  a blaze,  and  very  few  articles  of  furniture  c 
clothing  were  saved.  The  young  ladies — the  princesses — 
had  left  their  beds  to  escape  to  the  street.  The  governess, 
a Frenchwoman,  who  had  probably  been  an  actress,  seized 
the  occasion  to  play  a conspicuous  part.  She  gesticulated, 
exclaimed,  and  tossed  her  dishevelled  hair.  Dido  on  the 
funeral  pyre,  was  not  by  half  so  vehement.  At  last  she 
fainted  in  the  arms  of  Matskoi,  and  was  taken  to  the  car- 
riage. The  beautiful  princesses,  who  were  quite  as  com- 
posed as  ladies  could  be  under  the  circumstances,  were  also 
placed  in  the  vehicle,  and  under  the  conduct  of  Laronne, 
and  a strong  escort  of  domestics,  departed  for  a mansion  in 
the  neighboring  country. 

When  night  set  in,  and  a cold  bitter  night  it  was  ; the  first 
cold  night  of  autumn  ; the  fire  was  raging  with  unabated  fury. 
The  city  seemed  deserted.  Silence  was  only  broken  by 
the  roar  of  the  furious  element  and  sounds  of  the  falling 
timber.  We  had  wandered  about  the  whole  day,  mourn- 
ful spectators  of  a calamity,  we  could  neither  avert  nor  di- 
minish by  our  efforts  or  advice.  Tired,  alone,  and  the  unwil- 
ling witnesses  of  the  progress  of  destruction,  we  turned  away 
to  seek  shelter  and  safety  for  the  night.  Laronne  had  been 
directed  to  join  us  at  a caravansary  upon  the  outskirts  of 
the  town,  and  thither  we  now  proposed  to  direct  our  steps. 
But  the  way  was  not  easily  found,  and  the  pavements,  blaz- 
ing on  every  side,  arrested  our  retreat.  With  incredible 
difficulty  we  passed  the  fiery  barrier  and  reached  the  Krem- 
lin Here  the  Russian  regiments  were  stationed,  and  from 
the  vigilance  that  was  manifested,  it  is  probable  that  some 
apprehension  of  a popular  outbreak  was  anticipated.  A 
number  of  suspicious  characters  had  already  been  arrested. 


THE  CARAVANSARY. 


SOI 

Our  Russian  friend  having  ascertained  from  the  soldiers 
the  way,  we  walked  to  the  caravansary.  The  fire  had  not 
reached  this  neighborhood,  but  the  inhabitants  had,  never- 
theless, removed  with  all  their  effects  to  the  open  fields  out- 
side the  town.  It  was  midnight  when  we  entered  the  spa- 
cious tavern,  deserted  by  all  except  ourselves  and  the  servant 
who  met  us  there  according  to  appointment,  after  his  return 
from  the  country  mansion,  where  he  had  left  the  family  of 
the  prince.  Towards  morning  the  fire  approached  our  quar- 
ters, and  drove  us  again  into  the  street.  We  now  thought  of 
leaving  the  town,  but  by  the  advice  of  Matskoi,  it  was  de- 
termined to  avoid  the  observation  of  the  excited  multitude, 
who  seeing  that  we  were  foreigners,  might  possibly  be  dis 
posed  to  look  upon  us  as  so  many  heathen  devils  sent  to  burn 
down  their  city.  So  we  retreated  towards  the  Kremlin. 
Soon  thereafter  the  wind  changed  and  again  we  sought  the 
caravansary. 

At  daylight  the  proprietors  of  this  establishment  returned 
to  town,  and  through  them  we  obtained  some  refreshment. 
It  was  now  unanimously  resolved  by  our  party  to  take  im- 
mediate measures  to  leave  Kazan,  and  retrace  our  steps 
toward  the  west.  We  willingly  gave  up  the  journey  to  the 
Urals  and  Siberia,  and  sighed  to  behold  once  more  the  waters 
of  the  Baltic.  It  was  thought  best  to  return  to  Nischnei  by 
land,  rather  than  contend  for  weeks  with  the  heady  current 
of  the  Volga;  so  we  at  once  set  out  to  obtain  from  the  pro- 
per magistrate  an  order  for  horses  and  vehicles  for  the  jour- 
ney. In  the  course  of  our  researches  we  encountered  the 
German  brothers.  Their  habitation,  and  the  charming  base- 
ment had  been  consumed.  As  all  their  valuables  however 
had  been  carefully  deposited  in  the  stone  vaults  beneath, 


302 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


their  loss  would  be  but  trifling,  compared  with  that  of  many 
of  the  families,  whose  palaces  had  been  entirely  consumed. 
With  their  assistance  we  found  the  master  of  police,  but  he 
was  so  occupied  as  to  be  able  to  give  us  little  or  no  satisfac- 
tion, and  referred  us  to  a third  party,  who  we  supposed  was 
either  an  assistant  or  in  some  way  connected  with  his  de- 
partment. This  was  u short,  stout,  shrewd -looking  man, 
dressed  in  the  caftan,  and  wearing  a sandy  beard.  Matskoi 
informed  him  in  the  vernacular  of  our  wants  and  wishes, 
and  a long  parley  ensued,  which  increased  our  impatience  as 
it  lengthened  our  delay.  They  talked  and  talked,  and  as  we 
did  not  comprehend  a word,  and  as  the  strange  tongue  was 
discordant  and  disagreeable  to  the  unwilling  ear,  one  of  our 
party  exclaimed  with  petulance,  “ Let  us  leave  this  old  chap, 
for  he  will  do  nothing  but  talk  all  day.”  The  “old  chap” 
alluded  to  suddenly  turned  about,  and  looking  with  ire  at  the 
person  using  this  expression,  said  in  broad  Scotch  “ An  wha 
de  ye  call  auld  chap,  sir,  I’ll  hae  nane  o’  your  impertinence.” 
Some  moments  elapsed  before  we  recovered  sufficient  pres- 
ence of  mind  to  explain  away  the  hasty  expression  of  our 
companion.  To  our  further  surprise,  the  Scotchman  was 
the  father-in-law  of  Omarsing,  the  learned  Persian,  and  al- 
though not  connected  with  the  police  department,  was  so 
well  known  and  so  influential  in  Kazan,  that  the  master  of 
police  had  recommended  us  to  Bruski,  as  to  one  who-  would 
be  useful  to  us.  And  Bruski,  as  Mr.  Bruce  was  called,  was 
the  very  man  we  wanted.  He  interested  himself  immedi- 
ately in  our  behalf,  and  taking  the  passports,  promised  to  see 
us,  and  have  all  ready  for  our  departure  in  the  afternoon. 

Meanwhile  the  conflagration  continued  with  unabated  vi- 
olence. The  fire,  carried  by  the  wind,  had  now  ignited  the 


TARTAR  WOMEN. 


303 


buildings  in  the  Tartar  quarter,  but  the  extensive  gardens 
with  which  they  were  surrounded,  protected  many  of  them 
from  contagion.  The  smoke  however,  was  dense  enough 
to  frighten  from  their  retreats,  a number  of  the  women. 
Their  dark  brown  complexions,  large  lustrous  eyes,  and  jet 
black  hair,  falling  in  long  thick  tresses  upon  the  naked  shoul- 
ders, and  the  peculiar  dress  which  half  concealed  and  half 
disclosed  some  other  beauties,  were  exceedingly  interesting. 
Shawls  hoods  and  cloaks  had  been  neglected  or  forgot- 
ten in  the  confusion,  and  never  before  had  these  dusky 
damsels  appeared  in  such  a plight  in  public.  Some  of  them 
retained  their  veils,  and  some  escaped  the  surveillance  of 
their  lords,  more  perhaps  for  seeing  and  being  seen,  than  from 
the  fear  of  danger.  There  was  one  we  noticed  whose  ut- 
most care  was  manifested  for  the  preservation  of  a night- 
ingale. Her  head  and  bosom  w7ere  dressed  with  jewelry,  a 
loose  chemise  de  femme  of  Persian  silk,  deeply  embroidered 
with  silver  thread-work,  covered  her  graceful  person,  and  a 
foot  of  exquisite  proportion,  was  incased  in  a bespangled 
slipper,  that  would  have  proved  a teaser  even  to  Cinderella. 
She  guarded  her  little  cage  with  much  anxiety,  and  addressed 
words  of  comfort  and  good  cheer  to  the  frightened  songster. 

The  Tartars  manfully  attempted  to  save  their  dwellings, 
and  in  many  instances  their  efforts  were  successful.  Before 
one  of  the  houses  then  on  fire,  walked  the  master  and  his 
wife,  a young  and  noble  couple.  Their  hands  were  clasped 
together,  and  they  paced  slowly  to  and  fro,  serene  and  calm, 
as  if  they  had  done  all  that  could  be  done  by  mortals,  and  as 
if  love  and  life  yet  unconsumed,  were  worth  more  to  them 
than  all  the  world  beside.  The  personal  beauty  of  the  Tar- 
tars appeared  to  us  remarkable.  Few  if  any  of  the  women 


304 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


were  wanting  in  the  most  attractive  outlines  of  form  or  fea- 
ture. Never  had  Christian  men  so  good  a chance  to  catch 
a Tartar ; but  we  had  no  time  to  linger  or  to  love,  and  hast- 
ened to  find  the  governor  and  take  our  leave.  His  excel- 
lency was  making  a final  effort  to  extinguish  the  fire.  He 
lamented  the  disastrous  termination  of  our  visit ; had  already 
seen  Bruski,  and  given  orders  for  whatever  we  required,  and 
wished  us  a pleasant  journey. 

We  returned  to  the  caravansary.  There  we  found  the 
German  brothers,  the  Princes  D.,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Omarsing, 
and  old  Mr.  Bruce,  assembled  to  see  us  off.  There  also  we 
found  the  keeper  of  the  Club-house  awaiting  our  return. 
He  had  been  ruined  by  the  fire  that  destroyed  the  city  in 
1815,  and  now  in  his  old  age  he  was  again  reduced  to  pov- 
erty. He  thanked  us  with  tears  for  the  small  sum  we  sent 
him ; his  servants,  to  express  their  acknowledgments  for  a 
trifling  gratuity,  prostrated  themselves,  and  after  the  manner 
of  the  east,  called  down  blessings  upon  our  heads,  by  knock- 
ing their  own  upon  the  floor.  The  talegas  and  post-horses 
being  ready,  we  said  adieu  to  our  distressed  and  houseless 
friends. 

Evening  was  approaching  as  we  passed  the  barrier  into 
the  open  fields,  where  thousands  of  the  population  had  as- 
sembled and  deposited  great  quantities  of  furniture  and  pro- 
vision. A night  dark  as  Erebus,  followed  the  last  gleam  of 
day,  and  a lurid  glare  from  the  yet  burning  city  was  all  that 
appeared  upon  the  black  curtain  enshrouding  the  heaven  and 
the  earth.  A mournful  wind  sung  requiems ; the  cold  in- 
creased, and  the  rain  pattered  upon  the  top  of  the  talega. 
We  drew  up  the  leather  apron,  and  sought  repose,  until 
aroused  by  a sudden  toss  of  the  vehicle,  and  the  outcry  of 


AN  ACCIDENT. 


305 


the  attendants,  we  sprang  from  the  nearly  overturned  car- 
riage. We  had  lost  the  road,  and  were  very  near  going 
over  one  of  the  deep  ravines  common  to  this  open  and 
naked  country.  It  was  entirely  owing  to  the  sagacity  and 
keen  sight  of  the  horses,  that  such  a catastrophe  was  pre- 
vented. The  three  individuals  who  occupied  the  box,  viz., 
the  carrier,  the  guard,  and  the  driver,  were  blind  with  drink, 
and  insisted  upon  urging  the  horses  to  pass  into  the  abyss. 
We  were  obliged  to  resort  to  force,  and  after  a short  struggle 
in  the  mud,  and  a few  blows  passed  at  random  in  the  dark, 
we  obtained  possession  of,  and  broke  the  bottle  containing 
the  vodkee,  and  reasserted  our  authority. 

The  carriage  was  turned  about,  and  slowly  we  went  along, 
we  knew  not  whither.  A light  was  at  last  discovered  upon 
the  plain  ; we  made  for  it,  and  entered  the  log-hut  of  a Rus- 
sian peasant.  It  contained  one  room  only,  and  this  as  usual 
was  filled  to  suffocation  with  heat  and  vile  effluvia.  Upon 
the  floor  lay  the  father,  mother  and  a new-born  infant.  The 
lamp  before  the  image  of  the  Virgin  was  burning  in  conse- 
quence of  the  nativity  of  the  latter,  and  diffused  that  light 
which  had  attracted  us  to  the  cottage.  The  walls  and  ceil- 
ing were  literally  alive  with  bugs  and  animalculae.  It  was  a 
living  collection  of  the  various  varieties  of  the  vermin  of 
the  country.  Thousands  of  the  large  black,  hideous-looking 
insects,  called  Tarracans,  which  are  regarded  with  religious 
veneration  and  never  disturbed  by  the  Russtan  peasantry, 
were  creeping  about  in  every  direction.  We  soon  felt  them 
within  our  clothing,  and  shuddering  with  apprehension,  we 
shook  them  off  and  took  refuge  in  the  carriage  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  night. 

The  storm  was  succeeded  with  intense  cold,  and  ice  nearly 


306 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


half  an  inch  in  thickness  formed  before  the  morning.  At 
early  dawn  the  servants  made  their  appearance.  The 
courier  and  the  guard  attributed  all  the  delay  and  difficulty 
to  the  poor  Yemshick,  who,  fearing  a report  to  the  police, 
fell  down  upon  his  knees,  and  kissed  our  feet  and  begged  to 
be  forgiven.  The  peasant  pointed  out  the  high  road,  and 
we  started  again  upon  the  journey. 


YEMSHICKS. 


307 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Post-Houses — Yemshicks — A Detention — A Minister  of  State — Tchuwashes 
— Interior  of  a Tchuwash  Cabin — Russian  Tyranny — Its  Effects — Painful 
Impressions. 

The  post-houses  in  the  interior  of  Russia,  have  nothing  to 
distinguish  them  from  the  ordinary  log-houses  of  the  peas- 
antry. They  furnish  little  or  no  accommodation  or  refresh- 
ment. The  traveller  generally  carries  in  his  carriage  a 
basket,  replenished  with  provision  in  the  larger  towns.  The 
postmaster  procures  horses,  but  to  avoid  delay,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  excite  him  to  activity,  by  giving  him  a rouble. 

The  peasant  who  owns  one  or  more  of  the  horses  drives 
them  to  the  next  station.  He  is  called  a Yemshick,  is  ex- 
empted from  the  poll-tax,  and  cannot  be  taken  for  the  army. 
He  is  dressed  in  the  ordinary  Russian  garb, — a sheepskin, 
with  the  addition  of  a turkey  feather  in  his  felt  hat,  and  a 
little  bell  hanging  at  his  girdle.  The  latter  is  fastened  to 
the  collar  of  the  horse,  when  he  is  about  to  start.  Some- 
times there  was  as  many  as  twenty  of  these  yemshicks  as- 
sembled about  the  post-house.  The  arrival  of  a carriage  is 
the  signal  for  a dispute  among  them,  as  to  whose  turn  it  was 
to  furnish  horses  ; for  the  rate  of  posting  is  so  trifling,  that 
they  are  quite  willing  to  avoid  employment.  After  much 
loud  talking  and  fierce  gesticulation,  and  all  the  indications 
of  a knock  down,  without  a blow  being  struck ; for  the  Rus- 
sians never  fight ; the  postmaster  decides  the  matter,  and 


308 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


five  or  six  horses,  looking  as  if  they  had  been  blasted  by 
lightning,  are  led  out  and  fastened  to  the  vehicle.  The 
yemshick  takes  his  reins  of  rope,  jerks  and  scolds  the  mis- 
erable animals,  and,  after  several  efforts,  they  are  started  and 
off  upon  the  road.  For  a gift  of  na  tschai , or  tea  money, 
the  Yemshick  will  work  his  horses  into  a gallop,  and  pass 
with  great  celerity  to  the  next  station.  Twenty  versts, 
about  fifteen  miles,  is  the  average  length  of  the  stages,  and 
we  frequently  went  this  distance  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an 
hour.  The  poor  beasts,  so  lank  and  lean,  have  more  endur- 
ance than  any  post-horses  we  ever  saw.  Keeping  his  little 
whip  suspended  over  the  hind  quarters  of  his  Rossinantes, 
the  yemshick  constantly  informs  them,  that  if  they  hasten 
on,  the  mighty  lord  they  are  conveying  would  reward  them 
with  a good  drink  at  the  next  station. 

Upon  one  occasion  we  were  detained  nearly  half  a day 
at  a post-house,  in  consequence  of  the  want  of  horses.  All 
these  had  been  detained  for  the  carriages  of  one  of  the  Im- 
perial ministers  and  suite,  who  were  expected  every  hour. 
The  public  functionaries  of  the  vicinity  had  assembled  in 
full  dress  to  receive  him,  and  accelerate  his  progress.  After 
we  had  awaited  a long  while,  the  speedy  arrival  of  the  min- 
ister was  announced  by  the  clouds  of  dust  seen  upon  the 
highway.  The  soldiers  in  their  best  attire  were  stationed 
before  the  post-house,  and  the  officers  with  some  trepidation 
repaired  to  their  proper  places.  The  britschka  of  the  min- 
ister came  in  at  full  speed,  the  horses  were  taken  out,  and 
a fresh  relay  instantly  attached.  He  did  not  descend,  but 
summoned  a venerable,  white-haired  general  to  his  carriage, 
and  discharged  upon  him  a torrent  of  invective  and  abuse, 
because  of  the  badness  of  the  roads.  The  general  had  no 


A DETENTION. 


309 


time  to  repl}T,  for  the  minister  suddenly  cried  out,  “ pou- 
scha”  “go  on,”  and  in  a few  minutes  he  was  out  of  sight. 
Other  carriages  came  in  one  after  the  other,  and  left  im- 
mediately to  pursue  the  chief.  After  we  obtained  horses 
and  resumed  the  journey,  we  met  a yemshick  in  charge  of 
the  police.  Two  of  the  six  horses  attached  to  the  carriage 
of  the  aide-de-camp  of  the  minister  had  fallen  from  exhaus- 
tion, and  because  of  this,  the  yemshick  was  taken  and  or- 
dered to  be  flogged.  The  visit  of  a minister  to  the  interior 
is  even  more  redoubtable  than  that  of  his  majesty.  He  takes 
possession  of  the  best  houses  in  town  and  country  without 
invitation,  and  his  aids  and  doctors,  cooks  and  secretaries, 
help  themselves  to  the  best  the  land  affords.  The  officers’ 
wives  faint  with  terror  when  they  hear  of  his  approach,  and 
the  officers  themselves  quake  with  fear  when  in  his  presence. 

The  day  after  leaving  Kazan,  we  passed  through  the  coun- 
try of  the  Tchuwashes,  a powerful  tribe  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, and  with  whose  assistance  the  Russians  were  enabled 
to  conquer  and  dispossess  the  Tartars.  This  singular  race 
have  none  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Slavonic,  Finnic,  or 
Turkish  tribes.  Their  origin  is  unknown,  although  their 
dialect  and  strongly  marked  features,  are  supposed  by  some 
to  indicate  a derivation  from  the  Hunnic  nations,  who  at  an 
early  period  migrated  to  the  Volga.  They  retain  many  of 
their  pagan  superstitions,  mingled  with  many  Mahometan 
and  Christian  ceremonies.  The  Russians  formerly  em- 
ployed a most  summary  mode  of  converting  the  people  they 
subjugated,  to  the  Greek  faith.  The  villages  of  the  heathen 
and  heretics  were  surrounded  with  bands  of  Cossacks,  and 
all  the  inhabitants,  driven  like  sheep  into  the  neighboring 
stream  of  water,  were  baptized  and  Christianized  by  force. 


310 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


At  the  present  time,  there  is  a seminary  at  Kazan,  where 
the  young  Tchu washes,  Tartars,  Kalmucks  and  others,  are 
instructed  and  prepared  for  missionary  labor.  But  little 
progress,  however,  has  resulted  from  any  of  these  efforts. 
Many  of  the  Tchuwashes  retain  their  idols,  to  whom  they 
sacrifice  at  the  foot  of  the  sacred  oaks,  and  in  the  confusion 
of  their  observances,  and  the  singularity  of  their  traditions, 
it  has  been  surmised  that  they  are  a part  of  the  long  lost 
tribes  of  Israel. 

They  have  sacred  days,  when  they  will  do  no  work. 
They  believe  it  a crime,  that  would  draw  down  the  ven- 
geance of  heaven,  if  they  commence  before  the  twentieth 
day  of  July  to  prepare  for  harvest.  In  consequence  of 
this  singular  superstition,  their  grain  is  not  harvested 
until  the  autumnal  winds  and  rains  have  destroyed  nearly 
one-half  the  crops.  The  fertility  of  their  country  is  such 
however,  that  they  reap  much  more  than  they  can  con- 
sume, and  this  superabundance  is  buried  in  the  earth,  and 
becomes  a heritage,  passing  from  father  to  son,  until  a bad 
season  compels  them  to  have  recourse  to  the  hidden  gran- 
ary. They  conceal  in  the  same  way  all  their  money  and 
valuables  of  every  kind.  This  excessive  frugality  does  not 
result  from  avarice,  for  they  are  benevolent  and  hospitable, 
but  from  their  fears  of  being  plundered  by  the  Russians. 
The  Tchuwash  never  attacks  his  enemy  openly.  He  care- 
fully avoids  danger,  is  apparently  inoffensive,  and  attaches 
little  value  to  existence.  He  dreads  oppression  more  than 
death.  To  fix  opprobrium  on  the  neighbor  by  whom  he 
has  been  insulted,  he  will  kill  himself  in  his  house ; and  to 
punish  his  Russian  adversary,  he  will  hang  himself  before 
his  door.  We  lingered  awhile  in  a hamlet  of  the  Tchu- 


THE  TCHU WASHES. 


311 


washes  to  obtain  refreshment.  A copper-colored  man, 
whose  head,  was  shaved,  and  who  wore  a sheepskin,  led  us 
through  a low  doorway  into  his  hovel.  A fire  burned  upon 
the  earthen  floor,  and  the  smoke  escaped  through  an  aper- 
ture in  the  roof.  An  old  woman,  much  like  an  Indian 
squaw  in  dress  and  appearance,  boiled  some  eggs  and  pre- 
pared some  porridge,  which  we  eat  with  the  wooden  spoons 
she  furnished.  No  one  but  this  shrivelled  dame  and  her 
husband  appeared  within  the  hovel,  but  the  rustling  noise 
and  tinkling  sounds  outside,  convinced  us  that  others  were 
near  at  hand.  Turning  the  corner  of  the  house,  we  dis- 
covered a troop  of  girls.  They  bounded  off  like  young  deer 
as  we  approached  them.  A short  loose  gown,  and  in  some 
instances  the  full  Turkish  pantaloon,  was  the  only  covering 
of  these  wild  nymphs.  To  the  end  of  a long  tail  of  plaited 
hair,  falling  upon  the  back,  was  attached  several  little  bells, 
which  rung  with  every  movement  of  the  body.  Strings  of 
small  silver  coin  hung  over  and  about  the  forehead,  and 
bracelets  of  colored  glass  were  fixed  upon  the  naked  arms. 

The  Tchuwash  girls  were  formerly  sold  by  their  parents 
into  servitude.  This  is  now  prohibited  by  law,  but  so  un- 
important are  the  Russian  laws,  that  we  could  have  selected 
at  pleasure,  and  bought  for  the  veriest  trifle,  the  best  spe- 
cimens of  these  youthful  savages.  The  Tchuwashes,  the 
Tcheremisses,  and  the  remnants  of  other  tribes  of  lineage 
and  language  vastly  different,  who  inhabit  this  part  of  the 
empire,  will  soon  have  disappeared  and  left  us  no  record  of 
their  existence.  They  are  reduced  to  extreme  misery 
through  the  exactions  of  the  officers  of  the  government. 
During  the  winter  previous  to  our  visit  the  outrageous  con- 
duct of  the  tax-gatherers  forced  the  Tchuwashes  into  rebel- 


312 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


lion.  Many  of  them  were  killed  in  open  resistance  to  the 
authorities,  and  the  few  who  remain  are  dwindling  away 
with  the  fearful  rapidity  that  has  marked  the  extinction  of 
whole  tribes  of  the  American  aborigines. 

It  is  almost  impossible  for  any  people  to  exist  in  contact 
with  the  Russians.  However  oppressive  the  conduct  and 
character  of  despotism  may  be  to  Russians,  it  is  among  the  * 
subjugated  tribes  that  this  oppression  is  exercised  without 
mercy  and  without  appeal.  There  is  no  limit  or  control  to 
the  severity  of  the  government,  and  no  check  to  the  brutal- 
ity and  cruelty  of  its  officers.  The  sufferings  of  the  van- 
quished can  only  terminate  with  their  extermination  or  their 
expulsion  from  the  empire.  In  1770  half  a million  of  Kal- 
muck Tartars,  among  the  best  of  the  Asiatic  population  of 
Russia,  fled  from  the  lower  Volga  to  escape  the  tyranny  of 
the  Russians.  They  went  away  so  cautiously  that  their 
march  could  not  be  intercepted  by  the  imperial  cohorts,  and 
after  fighting  through  the  Kirghises  of  southern  Siberia,  they 
passed  the  great  deserts  of  Tartary  and  reached  the  ancient 
Mongolia.  Here  they  were  protected  by  the  armies  of  the 
Celestial  Emperor,  who  disregarded  the  threats  of  Catherine 
and  restored  them  to  the  habitations  of  their  fathers. 

The  Cossacks,  the  Tartars,  and  numerous  other  people, 
subjected  to  the  Russian  yoke,  are  rapidly-diminishing  in 
numbers,  or  are  being  fast  amalgamated  with  the  Russian 
race.  In  a few  more  years  the  Tchuwash  will  have  entirely 
disappeared.  Petty  insurrections  among  all  these  tribes  as 
well  as  among  the  Russian  peasantry,  are  much  more  fre- 
quent than  would  be  supposed.  Irritated  by  the  cruelty  of 
their  task-masters,  and  unable  to  resist  the  desire  for  ven- 
geance, they  frequently  burn  the  villages,  destroy  the  crops, 


EXILES. 


313 


and  riot  heedless  of  the  consequences  until  the  arrival  of  the 
Soldiery.  The  fire  in  Kazan  was  attributed  to  the  dissatis- 
faction of  the  people.  Exile  and  the  knout  are  inflicted 
without  mercy  upon  all  who  are  suspected  of  any  participa- 
tion in  these  outbreaks.  The  knout  is  applied  with  greater 
or  less  severity  according  to  the  nature  and  degree  of  the 
offence.  The  skilful  operator  will  merely  cut  into  the 
muscles  of  the  back,  or  tear  out  the  intestines  so  as  to  pro- 
duce almost  instant  death.  Although  capital  punishment 
was  abolished  in  Russia,  and  a great  parade  made  thereupon, 
yet  every  distinguished  criminal  in  Russia  is  sentenced  to 
die  by  the  lash,  the  most  dreadful  and  disgraceful  of  punish- 
ments. 

A number  of  prisoners  passed  by  while  we  remained  in 
the  little  hamlet.  Ninety-six  men  and  women  chained  in 
couples,  clothed  in  coarse  gray  coats,  some  with  and  some 
without  shoes,  and  with  heavy  weights  fastened  to  their 
limbs,  marched  painfully  and  slowly  along,  guarded  by  a few 
soldiers.  Three  kibitkas,  containing  several  women  and 
children  and  a dying  man,  followed  after ; the  whole  proces- 
sion closed  with  a troop  of  noisy  Cossacks,  with  their  long 
pikes  resting  on  the  right  stirrup,  guns  slung  upon  the  back, 
and  heavy  whips  hanging  from  the  left  wrist.  The  peasantry 
threw  the  prisoners  pieces  of  copper  coin.  The  common 
people  evince  their  commiseration  for  the  exile  or  the  sub- 
ject of  the  knout,  by  giving  them  the  means  of  purchasing 
gentle  treatment.  There  were  several  among  the  prisoners 
in  whose  appearance  we  discovered  something  that  assured 
us  of  their  decided  superiority  to  the  wretches  with  whom 
thev  were  associated.  One  of  these,  a tall  and  commanding 
figure,  and  a noble  but  emaciated  countenance,  gazed  ear- 

14 


314 


THE  CZAR.  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


nestly  as  if  he  would  have  said,  “ Oh ! that  I might  tell  you 
the  secret  of  my  being  here.’’  Another,  who  looked  at  us 
imploringly,  and  said  in  French,  “ Do  you  go  to  Moscow  ?” 
was  struck  in  the  face  by  a soldier,  and  ordered  to  be  quiet. 
My  God  ! was  there  no  rescue,  no  help,  no  hope  at  hand  ! 
Excited  almost  beyond  control  for  those  exiles  in  whose  ex- 
pression innocence  was  written,  we  watched  the  miserable 
band  upon  its  dreary  journey,  until  the  rattling  of  their  irons 
no  longer  grated  upon  the  heart. 

The  exiles  upon  their  arrival  in  Siberia  practise  the  trade 
they  understand.  The  nobles  and  those  who  have  learned 
no  trade,  are  obliged  to  work  in  the  mines.  There  are  many 
people  now  in  Siberia  who  have  never  ascertained  for  what 
cause  they  had  been  sent  there.  M.  Michelovsky  an  ad- 
vocate of  Warsaw,  wTas  involved  in  the  Polish  insurrec- 
tion, and  an  order  was  given  for  his  arrest  and  exile.  The 
police  however  seized  by  mistake  another  Michelovsky,  a 
notary  of  Wilna,  who  was  expedited  to  Siberia,  and  not- 
withstanding his  protestations,  obliged  to  remain  there  until 
the  error  was  rectified,  a process  of  two  years.  The  Em- 
peror Paul  commanded  an  offender  to  be  taken  and  pun- 
ished, but  his  minister  not  being  able  to  find  the  individual, 
seized  in  his  stead  a poor  German  who  had  recently  arrived, 
tore  out  his  nostrils,  sent  him  to  Siberia,  and  reported  to 
Paul  that  his  orders  had  been  obeyed.  The  German  re- 
mained in  exile  until  the  accession  of  Alexander,  who 
brought  him  back  to  St.  Petersburg  and  gave  him  the  sole 
right  of  importing  lemons. 


THE  WHIP. 


315 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

The  Whip — Liscover — Boulderoff ’s  Inn — Midnight  Visitors — The  Master  of 
Police — The  Kentuckian — Russian  Police — Return  to  Nischnei — Return  to 
Moscow  and  St.  Petersburg. 

Mournfully  we  resumed  our  journey  and  pressed  onward, 
our  Russian  friend  exhibiting  a savage  sensibility;  excited 
doubtless,  by  the  recent  scene.  Sitting  beside  us  in  the  ta- 
lega,  he  reached  forward  and  struck  the  Yemshick  repeatedly 
and  severely  upon  the  head  with  his  cane,  and  only  desisted 
after  many  remonstrances.  The  Yemshick  said  not  a word, 
but  inflicted  cruel  blows  in  turn  upon  the  horses,  who  ran  at 
full  speed  all  the  way  to  the  next  station.  Matskoi  would 
scarcely  believe  us  when  we  told  him  that  in  our  country 
the  coachman  would  have  returned  blow  for  blow,  and  prob- 
ably have  given  him  a sound  drubbing  into  the  bargain.  Noi 
could  he  credit  that  we  had  laws  even  protecting  horses  from 
unnecessary  cruelty.  “ The  first  slap  that  I received  in  my 
face  when  in  Germany,  in  return  for  a blow  with  my  horse- 
whip, was  my  first  lesson  in  liberty,”  said  a Russian  prince, 
and  all  Russians  admit  that  a residence  abroad  gives  them  the 
first  idea  they  ever  had  of  human  dignity.  In  Russia  the 
master  begins  the  day  by  striking  and  abusing  his  valet. 
The  valet  turns  upon  his  inferiors,  these  retort  upon  the 
common  mugick,  and  the  mugick  upon  his  wife  or  horses. 

In  the  evening  we  crossed  the  Volga,  and  late  at  night 
entered  a small  town  upon  its  banks,  called  Liscover.  Worn 


316 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


down  with  fatigue  and  privation,  we  could  no  longer  resist 
the  desire  to  remain  and  rest  for  a few  hours.  Matskoi 
however,  was  determined  to  proceed,  as  he  was  desirous  to 
be  the  first  to  take  the  news  of  the  fire  to  Nischnei.  He 
left  us  to  find  the  police  master  of  Liscover,  and  obtain  a 
podaroslma,  or  order  for  post-horses,  while  we  repaired  to 
the  inn  of  BoulderofF.  Mr.  BoulderofF  seemed  a pleasant, 
portly  Boniface,  his  inn  a little  paradise,  the  supper  and  at- 
tendance “ not  so  bad,”  and  even  the  horse-hair  sofas  ap- 
peared to  the  weary  travellers  like  so  many  beds  of  down. 
When  the  pipes  were  finished  the  servants  were  dismissed, 
and  we  sought  that  repose  which  after  so  much  fatigue  we 
supposed  was  ours  ; but  in  a little  while  an  alarming  uproar 
in  the  street  beneath  our  lodging,  disturbed  the  quiet,  and 
aroused  us  from  wished-for  slumber.  At  first  we  thought 
the  house  was  on  fire,  and  prepared  to  hasten  out,  when  La- 
ronne  entered  with  fear  and  trembling,  to  inform  us  that  the 
police  had  come  to  take  us  prisoners.  Scarcely  had  he  said 
so  before  a number  of  men,  accompanied  by  Boulderoff 
and  his  servants,  holding  lights,  entered  the  apartment. 
“ What  in  the  name  of  wonder  does  all  this  mean  ?*’  said  the 
Kentuckian. 

Laronne,  overwhelmed  with  visions  of  Siberia,  gave  no 
reply.  The  policemen  and  their  assistants  gazed  silently 
upon  their  victims,  until  the  leader,  who  was  the  chief  mag- 
istrate of  Liscover  advanced,  and  walking  quickly  up  and 
down  the  room,  commenced  a violent  harangue,  evidently 
intended  for  our  especial  benefit.  But  it  was  in  Russian, 
and  not  a word  did  we  comprehend.  Still  the  master  of 
police  continued  to  walk  and  talk,  and  still  we  lay  upon  our 
sofas  without  attempting  a reply.  At  last  the  Kentuckian 


THE  SPECIAL  PASSPORT. 


317 


cried  out  impatiently,  “ What  does  this  fellow  mean  ?”  Be- 
fore he  could  answer  the  courier  was  carried  off,  and  the 
police-master  then  wheeled  right  about  and  addressed  him- 
self directly  and  impertinently  to  our  western  friend.  He 
was  a large  muscular  man,  and  evidently  a little  intoxicated. 
As  he  approached  the  sofa  with  ferocious  gestures  and  loud 
expressions  of  anger,  the  corncracker  jumped  up  and  threw 
himself  into  an  attitude  of  defiance  and  defence.  The  Rus- 
sian screaming  with  rage,  dashed  upon  the  gallant  western, 
who  with  a single  blow  sent  him  reeling  upon  the  floor.  In 
an  instant  we  were  all  upon  our  feet,  and  with  a pistol  in 
either  hand,  awaked  the  onset  of  the  howling  crew  collected 
about  the  door.  The  stout  magistrate  had  never  perhaps 
experienced  a defeat.  It  was  some  time  before  he  recovered 
from  his  astonishment.  His  mouth  and  nose  were  bleeding 
freely.  He  rose  completely  conquered,  and  joined  the  crowd 
of  his  dependents.  Several  soldiers  with  muskets  and  bay- 
onets now  appeared,  and  we  were  summoned  to  surrender. 
Matters  grew  serious  : we  determined  to  hold  a parley,  and 
as  an  overture,  presented  a special  passport. 

The  magistrate  looked  upon  this  document  with  amaze- 
ment and  confusion.  His  tone  and  manner  changed  in  an 
instant.  Whining  out  excuses,  and  bowing  to  the  ground, 
he  sneaked  down  the  stairs  and  reappeared  soon  after  with 
Matskoi  and  the  frightened  courier.  The  former  explained 
the  origin  of  the  difficulty.  When  he  left  us  he  went  to  the 
house  of  the  master  of  police  to  obtain  the  padaroshna. 
He  found  the  master  carousing  with  his  friends.  He  was 
asked  for  his  passport.  He  produced  it,  and  for  the  first 
time  discovered  that  it  had  not  been  vise  at  Kazan.  He 
tried  to  explain  this  to  the  master,  by  stating  that  the  latter 


318 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


city  was  nearly  destroyed  by  fire,  and  was  still  burning 
when  he  left,  and  that  during  the  confusion  that  prevailed 
there  he  had  not  obtained  the  vise,  but  had  travelled  under 
the  protection  of  some  friends  who  had  gone  to  the  inn  and 
intended  to  remain  there  during  the  night.  The  police- 
master  had  not  heard  of  the  fire,  disbelieved  the  whole 
story,  sent  Matskoi  to  prison,  and  repaired  to  the  inn  for  the 
purpose  of  detaining  the  rest  of  the  party,  either  because  he 
really  believed  there  was  something  wrong,  or  else  with  the 
view  of  extorting  money.  But  when  he  found  that  we 
travelled  under  the  seal  and  sign  manual  of  the  mighty  min- 
ister of  foreign  affairs,  this  petty  tyrant  saw  that  his  outra- 
geous conduct  might  be  attended  with  unpleasant  conse- 
quences. He  begged  to  be  excused,  he  hoped  he  might  be 
useful,  he  prepared  a pass  and  padaroshna  for  Matskoi,  prom- 
ised to  send  us  the  best  horses  in  the  district  for  our  jour- 
ney on  the  morrow,  and  even  assured  us  that  he  had  been 
in  America,  and  loved  the  Americans  with  fraternal  love. 
Upon  inquiring  as  to  what  part  of  America  he  had  visited, 
we  learned  that  it  was  Russian  America,  somewhere  near 
the  north  pole.  Matskoi  who  was  delighted  with  the  casti- 
gation inflicted  upon  this  Russian  Dogberry,  immediately 
started  off  in  a kibitka,  and  once  more  we  reposed  in  quiet 
on  the  sofas. 

The  Russian  police  is  one  of  the  most  dreadful  institu- 
tions that  could  exist  in  any  country.  Composed  of  men  of 
desperate  character,  who  wield  an  almost  irresistible  and 
irresponsible  power,  it  is  an  instrument  of  evil  rather  than 
of  good.  It  persecutes  the  innocent  and  protects  the  guilty 
— it  stifles  complaint  and  paralyzes  the  arm  of  justice.  Venal 
and  corrupt  it  is  at  the  bidding  of  both  the  friends  and  the 


THE  POLICE. 


319 


enemies  of  the  sovereign.  It  ferrets  out  conspiracy  and  re- 
volt for  the  one ; it  assists  at  regicide  and  revolution  for  the 
other.  It  enters  every  habitation  in  the  empire,  it  is  familiar 
with  every  passage  in  the  palace.  In  the  morning  it  con- 
demns the  serf,  at  midnight  it  murders  Paul.  It  is  double- 
edged,  a most  formidable  weapon,  doing  by  stealth  and  cun- 
ning, that  which  was  effected  openly  and  boldly  by  the  fierce 
bands~of  the  Strelitz,  who  alternately  protected  and  trampled 
upon  the  throne.  The  chiefs  of  police  make  vast  fortunes 
by  the  bribes  they  take  from  those  fearing  persecution. 
Their  subordinates  share  the  plunder  taken  by  fraud  and 
violence.  Stolen  goods  are  seen  upon  their  persons  and  in 
their  houses.  A thief  caught  in  the  act  is  discharged  by  the 
magistrate  should  he  recognize  him  as  an  old  friend  or  ac- 
quaintance. 

The  Count  Dondudidaschi  arrived  in  St.  Petersburg  in 
the  boat  from  Stockholm,  and  took  lodgings  in  the  hotel 
Coulon.  He  lived  in  great  style.  One  evening  he  com- 
plained of  being  unwell,  repaired  to  his  private  chamber,  and 
directed  the  valet  in  waiting  to  awaken  him  at  a certain 
hour  the  next  morning.  The  next  morning  came,  and  with 
it  the  violent  ringing  of  the  bell  in  the  room  of  the  noble 
stranger.  The  servants  rushed  with  alacrity  to  answer  the 
summons  of  the  dashing  count.  They  found  him  in  a fury, 
and  calling  loudly  for  his  pantaloons.  The  domestics  could 
give  no  tidings  of  them.  This  information  only  increased 
the  violence  and  indignation  of  the  lodger.  The  noise  finally 
called  up  Monsieur  Coulon  himself,  who  protested  in  the 
name  of  all  his  household,  that  the  pantaloons  were  not 
known  unto  them.  The  stranger  thereupon  insisted  on 
sending  instantly  for  the  police,  stating  at  the  same  time. 


320 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


that  his  pocket-book,  containing  fifty  thousand  roubles,  was 
left  in  his  breeches  pocket  the  night  before.  Coulon  be- 
seeched  him  not  to  send  for  the  police,  as  they  would  bring 
innumerable  troubles  upon  his  house.  “ But  what  am  I to 
do,”  said  the  Count,  “ my  pantaloons  and  property  all  gone  ; 
and  I far  away  from  home  and  a stranger.”  “ I will  send 
for  a tailor  immediately,”  said  the  landlord,  “ keep  you  here 
comfortably  without  charge  until  you  hear  from  Sweden,  and 
give  you  five  thousand  roubles  besides  if  you  will  say  nothing 
to  the  police.”  “ You  must  be  a fool,”  replied  the  Count,  “ to 
think  I will  take  five  thousand  for  my  fifty  thousand  roubles. 
No,  sir,  I mean  to  stay  here,  have  the  best  tailor  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, and  all  my  money  besides.”  Here  Coulon  in  great 
distress  offered  him  fifteen  thousand,  and  finally  twenty  thou- 
sand roubles,  if  he  would  not  call  in  the  police,  who  would 
surely  rob  and  plunder  him  of  every  farthing.  The  Count 
moved  by  his  entreaties  finally  agreed  to  take  the  twenty 
thousand  roubles,  to  accept  his  magnificent  hospitality,  and 
be  clothed  by  the  most  fashionable  tailor.  He  remained  for 
some  weeks  more,  and  when  he  left  to  return  to  his  native 
country,  was  overwhelmed  with  the  grateful  expressions  of 
the  landlord  for  his  kindness  and  generosity.  Soon  after 
this  the  cold  weather  set  in,  and  one  day  a fire  was  made  in 
the  room  that  had  been  occupied  by  the  Count.  The  peetch 
sent  forth  clouds  of  smoke.  Something  was  in  the  chimney. 
Upon  examination,  an  old  pair  of  pantaloons  was  dragged 
out,  and  Coulon  discovered  that  he  whom  we  call  the  Count 
Dondudidaschi  was  an  impostor. 

This  occurred  during  the  residence  of  the  writer  in  St. 
Petersburg,  as  did  also  the  following.  The  maitre  d’  hotel 
of  Count  Nesselrode  went  to  visit  his  friend,  the  cook  of 


PEROVSKY. 


321 


Count  Stroganoff,  and  remained  with  him  until  late  at  night. 
He  was  never  seen  alive  again.  A few  days  after  a foot- 
man of  the  Stroganoff’s  accompanied  his  mistress,  the 
Countess,  to  the  house  of  Nesselrode.  He  carried  an  um- 
brella which  was  recognized  by  the  servants  of  the  latter  as 
having  been  the  property  of  the  missing  steward.  The  foot- 
man said  he  had  bought  it  from  a policeman  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. The  latter  was  arrested,  and  confessed  that  he 
had  murdered  the  unfortunate  man  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  umbrella,  and  had  thrown  his  body  into  the  Neva. 

Incidents  and  anecdotes  without  number  might  be  ad- 
duced to  show  the  audacity  of  the  police,  and  the  fears  of 
the  people.  We  will  dispense  with  these  to  speak  of  more 
prominent  acts  and  more  distinguished  individuals.  Perov- 
sky,  the  minister  of  the  interior,  the  most  enlightened  and 
patriotic  of  Russian  statesmen,  discovered  through  his 
agents  an  organized  band  of  robbers,  several  hundred  in 
number,  living  in  St.  Petersburg,  under  the  fostering  care  of 
the  police.  He  had  them  apprehended,  and  denounced  as 
an  accessory,  the  grand-master  of  police,  Kokoschine,  aide- 
de-camp-general  to  the  Emperor.  His  majesty  however 
would  not  remove  his  aide-de-camp  from  office,  because  he 
had  maintained  good  order  in  the  capital  for  twenty  years. 
Soon  after  this  Perovsky  seized  the  account  books  of  a frau- 
dulent dealer  in  provisions,  from  which  he  ascertained  that 
the  police  received  their  supplies  of  food  from  day  to  day 
without  charge,  inasmuch  as  they  were  privy  to  the  frauds 
practised  upon  the  people.  The  aide- de-camp-general  wras 
again  involved,  and  his  majesty  ordered  Count  Benkendorf, 
then  grand-master  of  the  secret  police,  to  make  an  inquiry. 
Benkendorf  took  the  book  containing  the  alleged  proofs  of 

14* 


322 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  fraud,  and  soon  after  sent  it  back  to  the  minister,  with 
the  request  that  he  would  seal  it,  a formality  which  had  been 
omitted  by  the  latter.  The  minister  sealed  it,  and  when  the 
inquiry  was  instituted,  it  did  not  appear  by  the  book  that 
any  fraud  had  been  committed  by  the  police.  Another  book 
precisely  like  the  first  one  in  all  but  the  correct  account,  had 
been  substituted. 

The  secret  police  now  under  the  direction  of  Count  Or- 
loff,  and  the  third  section  of  the  imperial  chancellerie,  has 
its  agents  in  the  palace  and  the  kitchen.  Ladies  and  gen- 
tlemen of  rank  and  title  are  well  known  to  be  the  servants 
of  this  department.  The  regiments,  theatres,  coffee-houses, 
public  gardens,  steamboats  and  private  houses  have  each 
their  appointed  spies.  There  are  Russian  spies  in  almost 
every  city  in  the  world,  and  there  is  a secret  bureau  in  the 
post-office  where  the  letters  of  foreigners  and  suspected  per- 
sons are  alwrays  opened. 

A day’s  ride  from  Liscover  took  us  to  Nischnei.  The 
account  of  the  destruction  of  Kazan  produced  great  con- 
sternation. The  fair  was  broken  up,  and  the  various  people 
prepared  to  return  to  their  various  homes.  The  amiable 
governor  was  in  difficulty,  and  the  facetious  captain  was  in 
limbo.  His  excellency  had  been  charged  with  peculation, 
and  the  aide-de-camp  with  defrauding  sundry  dealers  in  hard- 
ware and  confectionary. 

Nischnei  was  as  dull  as  a tale  twice  told,  and  after  a day 
of  rest  in  the  Yermoiloff  hotel,  and  time  to  buy  fur  boots 
and  caps  and  horse-skin  coats  to  protect  us  from  the  increas- 
ing cold,  we  were  off  again  for  Moscow.  We  will  not  re- 
capitulate. For  three  days  and  nights  we  journeyed  west- 
ward over  the  same  dismal  country,  and  through  the  same 


THE  RETURN. 


323 


sad  scenes  we  have  described,  and  by  the  same  road,  crowded 
as  before  with  caravans  of  talegas  and  kibitkas.  There  were 
no  glorious  memories,  not  a single  souvenir,  nothing  to  break 
the  calm  of  despotism.  We  saw  no  chateaux,  no  ruins,  no 
pretty  cottages.  We  saw  no  flowers,  we  heard  no  singing 
birds.  Sometimes  we  passed  a frowzy  shepherd,  watching 
a few  meagre  sheep  and  cows,  that  grazed  upon  the  scanty 
remnants  of  the  sickled  field  : sometimes  a straggling  village 
and  the  Christian  temple,  at  whose  porch  the  priest  and 
pauper  both  begged  for  alms ; sometimes  an  imperial  post- 
house,  with  a sign  of  the  black  double-headed  eagle  and  the 
tri-colored  posts  which  distinguish  the  imperial  property; 
sometimes  we  saw. a gang  of  banished  criminals  ; sometimes 
we  heard  the  croaking  of  the  carrion  crow ; sometimes  we 
listened  to  the  mournful  ditty  of  the  Yemshick  ; sometimes 
we  watched  the  trembling  aspen,  and  the  flight  of  the 
withered  leaves  of  the  white  birch  carried  away  with  the 
cold  blasts  that  came  sighing  from  the  ice  hills  of  Siberia. 

In  Moscow  we  found  luxury  and  comfort  in  the  hotel 
Dresden,  recently  opened  and  boasting  new  beds  and  furni- 
ture. A few  days  were  passed  in  the  sacred  city.  One  of 
these  was  Sunday,  and  we  remember  well  the  English  chapel 
where  a few  Anglo-Saxons  were  assembled,  and  where  we 
heard  a sermon  in  our  native  tongue,  and  a hymn  sung 
sweetly  to  old  hundred.  No  news  could  be  obtained  in  Mos- 
cow respecting  affairs  in  the  United  States,  nor  indeed  of 
any  other  country.  The  foreign  papers  had  recently  been 
withheld  from  the  public  on  account  of  some  remarks  they 
contained  upon  the  government  of  Russia.  As  a natural 
consequence  the  curiosity  of  all  was  much  excited,  and  all 
kinds  of  surmises  were  afloat. 


324 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


Fortunately  our  friend  Matskoi,  who  arrived  some  days 
before  us,  had  secured  places  for  us  in  the  mail  coach, 
and  we  impatiently  awaited  the  hour  of  departure.  The 
appointed  time  at  length  arrived.  We  went  to  the  post- 
office  and  took  the  seats  assigned  us.  The  report  that  the 
strangers  were  to  leave  in  the  imperial  mail  had  probably 
been  disseminated  by  the  employes  of  the  office,  for  the 
crowd  of  well-dressed  people  who  were  in  the  court-yard, 
had  evidently  assembled  to  see  the  Amerikanskoi.  Now  if 
it  be  remembered  that  these  had  lost  a portion  of  their  cloth- 
ing in  the  fire  at  Kazan,  and  that  during  a long  and  rapid 
journey  many  of  the  particulars  of  the  toilet  had  been  un- 
avoidably neglected,  some  idea  of  their  appearance  may  be 
entertained.  Besides,  they  wore  the  horse-skin  coats  bought 
at  Nischnei,  an  article  of  clothing  common  enough  to  the 
tribes  upon  the  steppes,  but  seldom  seen  in  western  Russia. 
One  of  these  was  a bright  bay,  the  other  an  iron-gray, 
trimmed  with  the  manes  and  tails  of  the  defunct  animals. 
These  robes  seemed  to  attract  universal  attention,  and  all 
the  lorgnettes  were  levelled  at  Kentucky  in  the  iron-gray. 
We  left  the  Muscovites  to  talk  of  the  centaur-like  appear- 
ance of  the  Amerikanskoi,  and  in  two  days  and  a half 
reached  the  modern  capital,  after  a journey  of  more  than 
one  thousand  miles  into  the  interior  of  the  Empire. 


DEPARTURE. 


325 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

^Post-House  at  St.  Petersburg — Departure — Reflections — Winter  Morning- 
Travellers — Dukedom  of  Lithuania — The  Greek  Church — The  Jews. 

It  was  the  middle  of  November;  the  last  steamer  had 
departed ; the  waters  were  congealed  with  cold,  and  winter 
had  assumed  its  reign,  before  we  were  prepared  to  leave  the 
North.  The  afternoon  was  dark  and  dismal,  and  snow  was 
falling  fast,  when  we  entered  the  parlor  of  the  Hotel  des 
Postes.  It  was  filled  with  ladies  and  gentlemen,  assembled 
to  say  a last  farewell  to  those  friends  who  were  to  leave  that 
night,  by  the  coaches  going  to  various  parts  of  the  Empire. 
The  luggage  was  being  weighed,  the  passports  examined, 
and  the  travellers  were  wrapping  about  them  their  fur 
cloaks  and  coats,  in  anticipation  of  the  moment  of  de- 
parture. 

A horn  sounded,  and  the  coach  for  Wibourg  was  an- 
nounced. There  was  an  interchange  of  kisses  and  affec- 
tionate adieus,  and  in  another  moment,  the  passengers  for 
Wibourg  had  departed.  Another  horn,  announcing  the 
coach  for  Kief,  was  followed  with  another  volley  of  kisses 
and  reiteration  of  adieus.  At  seven  o’clock,  the  same  no- 
tice summoned  us  to  the  coach  for  Kovno.  We  took  our 
places  in  the  coupe,  and  shared  with  a silent  stranger  this 
department  of  the  vehicle.  The  conductor  mounted  the 
box,  the  postilion  laid  on  the  whip,  and  off  wre  went  through 


326 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  Riga  gate,  and  out  the  barriers  of  the  capital  of  the 
North.  The  night  was  very  cold,  and  the  familiar  scenes 
by  the  road-side  in  the  suburbs,  were  lost  in  gloom  and 
darkness.  We  closed  the  window,  and  we  closed  our  eyes, 
intent  upon  wooing  slumber,  but  our  thoughts  reverted  con- 
stantly to  the  friends  we  left  behind  us,  while  our  reflections 
upon  the  events  and  vicissitudes  of  a residence  in  Russia, 
defied  alike  the  efforts  of  our  nonchalance  and  our  philos- 
ophy. “ Voyager  est,  quoi,  qu’on  en  puisse  dire,  un  des 
plus  tristes  plaisirs  de  la  vie.” 

The  next  morning  the  snow  was  covered  with  a thick 
crust  of  ice,  which  sparkled  brightly  in  the  cheerful  rays  of 
an  unclouded  sun.  At  the  station  where  we  stopped  to 
breakfast,  we  were  thrown  in  contact  with  our  fellow-pas- 
sengers. One  was  a Saxon,  going  to  Kovno ; — another  a 
Venetian,  going  to  Vienna.  These  two  occupied  the  after 
part  of  the  carnage.  Those  of  the  banquette,  were  a young 
woman,  who  was  returning  home  to  Duneburg,  and  a young 
Russian,  going  to  Warsaw.  The  latter  was  in  the  full  rig 
of  a Russian  traveller.  According  to  the  Russians,  the 
great  secret  of  being  warm  and  comfortable  when  travel- 
ling, is  in  wearing  a loose  dress.  This  youth  was  remark- 
* ably  loose  in  his  attire.  He  came  into  the  post-house  cov- 
ered up  in  a great  fur  pelisse.  This  he  threw  off  in  the 
warm  room,  and  stood  before  us  in  an  old  morning  gown. 
The  morning  gown  was  open  in  front,  and  exposed  the 
number  and  condition  of  his  under  garments.  Shirt,  draw- 
ers, stockings  and  slippers,  comprised  all  the  other  habili- 
ments of  this  youthful  adventurer.  He  told  us  he  thought 
of  visiting  Germany,  and  we  were  really  curious  to  learn 


TRAVELLERS. 


327 


whether  he  had  any  idea  of  voyaging  in  the  honest  father- 
land  in  such  a costume. 

We  assembled  around  the  breakfast- table,  and  each  one 
consumed  his  glass  of  tea  and  portion  of  black  bread,  with 
great  glee.  The  fresh  morning  air,  and  the  excitement  of 
travel,  produced  a hilarity  and  good-humor  that  triumphed 
for  a moment  over  every  inconvenience.  Our  silent  com- 
ftftnion  of  the  coupe  now  became  quite  sociable,  and  dis- 
played a knowledge  of  the  languages,  so  remarkable  among 
the  gentry  of  the  Slavonic  race.  He  was  a Pole,  a recent 
graduate  of  the  University  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  was  now 
on  his  return  to  Warsaw.  The  Venetian  was  a singer,  but 
his  debut  had  not  been  successful  in  the  capital ; — he  had 
quarrelled  with  the  prima  tenore,  and  he  had  been  mal- 
treated by  the  police.  He  described  with  much  earnestness 
his  sufferings  from  the  mal  d’estomac  while  in  St.  Peters- 
burg, and  denounced  the  Russians  as  incapable  of  appre- 
ciating the  Italian  genius.  The  young  woman  was  quite 
good-looking,  and  spoke  French  with  great  fluency.  She 
talked  constantly  about  the  pleasure  she  anticipated  in 
meeting  her  husband  after  a long  separation,  and  we  would 
have  believed  her,  had  we  not  seen  her  in  the  banquette, 
kissing  and  being  kissed  by  the  traveller  in  the  robe  de 
chambre. 

Resuming  our  journey,  we  passed  on  over  a most  dreary 
country,  and  through  a few  poor  villages.  At  regular  in- 
tervals we  saw  the  towers  topped  with  telegraphs,  whose 
long  dark  arms,  with  mysterious  movement,  communicated 
to'the  Czar  all  the  events  in  Poland.  The  weather  was  clear 
but  very  cold.  Tall  dark  pines  contrasted  strangely  with 
the  white  shroud  of  snow  upon  the  earth,  and  the  inky, 


328 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


sullen  aspect  of  the  heavens.  Their  solemn  and  funereal 
appearance,  in  the  midst  of  desolation,  is  cheerless  and 
melancholy  in  the  extreme,  and  the  Venetian,  yielding  to 
the  sad  impressions  of  the  scene,  bewailed  his  separation 
from  his  country.  His  apprehensions  increased  with  the 
increasing  cold.  His  feet  were  frosted  ; — the  horses,  badly 
shod,  frequently  slipped  down,  and  at  every  delay  and 
every  trifling  accident,  he  lamented  his  miserable  fate,  and 
imagined  it  was  his  destiny  to  die  in  Russia.  On  the  even- 
ing of  the  next  day  we  reached  Duneburg,  a fortified  town, 
and  formerly  the  seat  of  the  provincial  Diet  of  the  Livonian 
Palatinate.  Here  our  female  companion  was  greeted  by 
her  husband,  and  received  and  returned  his  affectionate  em- 
braces. He  was  an  officer  in  full  uniform,  and  exceedingly 
good-looking.  We  were  all  presented  by  his  lady,  as  her 
very  polite  and  agreeable  compagnons  de  voyage,  and  he 
thanked  us  all,  and  especially  the  man  in  the  robe  de  cham- 
bre,  for  the  attentions  which  had  been  rendered.  We  crossed 
the  Dwina  the  same  night,  and  soon  after  entered  within  the 
limits  of  the  ancient  dukedom  of  Lithuania. 

According  to  the  old  chronicles,  Ringgold,  a heroic  chief- 
tain, who  conquered  Samogitia,  Polesia  and  other  provinces, 
was  the  first  Grand  Duke  of  Lithuania.  It  was  not,  how- 
ever, until  a hundred  years  thereafter  that  this  country  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  historian.  In  1386  the  Grand 
Duke  Jagellon  embraced  Christianity,  was  baptized  at  Cra- 
cow, married  the  heiress  of  the  Polish  crown,  united  the 
arms  of  the  two  countries,  and  established  their  mutual 
power  and  reputation.  The  Lithuanians,  imperfectly  con- 
verted to  Christianity  by  the  influence  and  example  of  the 
grand  duke,  practised  for  a long  time  many  Pagan  rites,  and 


LITHUANIA. 


329 


do  still  retain  beneath  the  forms  of  the  Greek  church  the 
most  debasing  superstitions.  The  union  of  the  states  of 
Poland  and  Lithuania,  although  repeatedly  confirmed  by  the 
acts  of  the  different  Diets  under  the  dynasty  of  the  Jagellons, 
was  never  completely  established.  The  nobles  of  Lithuania, 
who  frequented  the  Polish  court  and  adopted  the  manners  and 
the  dialect  of  the  Poles,  were  invariably  found  in  the  ranks 
of  Poland,  and  opposing  the  dismemberment  of  the  monarchy ; 
but  the  people,  corrupted  by  the  gold  and  promises  of  the 
Russians,  were  always  indifferent  to  the  fate  and  fortunes 
of  a nation  with  whom  they  had  never  been  identified ; wit- 
nessed, without  sympathy,  their  revolutionary  struggles  ; re- 
fused to  join  in  the  insurrection  during  the  invasion  of  the 
French ; and  have  manifested  a devotion  to  the  Russian 
cause,  that  at  once  betrays  their  servility  and  degradation. 
The  soil  of  Lithuania  is  productive,  but  a more  wretched 
country  it  is  impossible  to  imagine.  Misery,  like  a curse, 
rests  upon  man  and  beast,  upon  house  and  hovel  ; — all  is 
misery. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  of  our  journey  we  en- 
tered Kovno,  a large  towTn  on  the  frontiers  of  Poland.  Our 
passports  were  immediately  taken  from  us,  and  we  were  or- 
dered to  wait  at  the  inn  until  they  were  returned.  The  inns 
of  Poland  and  Lithuania  are  conducted  by  the  Jews.  For 
filth,  extortion,  and  want  of  comfort,  they  are,  if  possible, 
worse  than  those  of  Russia.  We  made  our  ablutions  with 
the  water  poured  from  a bowl  upon  the  hands.  Towels 
were  not  to  be  had.  The  comestibles  generally  consist  of 
black  bread,  a soup  made  of  cabbage  called  tsche,  a lump 
of  suspicious-looking  meat  called  roti , and  eggs  that  are 
universally  bad.  The  great  resource  of  the  traveller  is  in 


330 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


the  little  wheaten  loaves  he  may  buy  in  every  village,  and 
the  tea,  which  is  always  good.  He  may  obtain  a warm  glass 
of  the  latter  at  a moment’s  notice.  The  host  serves  it, 
already  sweetened  according  to  his  own  taste  in  the  matter, 
unless  the  traveller  calls  for  a “ portion,”  when  a pot  with  a 
broken  spout,  four  lumps  of  sugar,  and  a little  cup  of  milk, 
are  placed  at  his  discretion. 

In  Kovno  the  new  Greek  and  the  old  Latin  churches  are 
nearly  equal  in  importance ; but  the  recent  and  vigorous 
growth  of  the  one  is  as  remarkable  as  the  age  and  decline  of 
the  other.  The  Roman  faith,  the  established  faith  of  Lithuania 
in  the  last  century,  has  yielded  before  the  progress  of  a creed 
already  flourishing  upon  the  banks  of  the  Niemen.  What 
the  Russian  arms  have  conquered  the  Russian  religion  will 
secure.  This  religion  has  already  passed  the  western  fron- 
tier, and  it  hopes  to  triumph  over  the  Roman  faith,  the  last 
and  only  remnant  of  Polish  nationality.  This  achieved,  the 
Russians  and  the  Poles,  nearly  alike  in  lineage  and  in  lan- 
guage, may  possibly  be  united  in  sentiment  and  feeling  and 
seek  a common  destiny. 

The  streets  of  Kovno  were  thronged  with  Jews.  As  far 
as  we  could  judge  this  singular  people  compose  the  greater 
portion  of  the  population  of  this  district  of  country.  Their 
villages  and  dwellings  are  wretched  beyond  description. 
The  men  were  invariably  clothed  in  long  black  tunics,  reach- 
ing nearly  to  the  ankle.  Their  beards  were  long  and  flow- 
ing, and  in  their  thin  sallow  faces  we  read  the  patience  and 
the  craft  for  which  they  have  been  remarkable.  There  are 
probably  more  than  a million  of  Jews  in  Poland.  Oppressed 
and  persecuted  elsewhere  in  Europe,  they  were  invited  to 
this  country  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  granted  great 


THE  JEWS. 


331 


privileges  by  Cassimir  the  Great.  Poor  and  parsimonious, 
industrious  and  sober,  they  profited  by  the  wealth,  extrava- 
gance, and  debauchery  of  the  Poles ; secured  the  whole 
trade  and  commerce  of  the  country,  and  soon  constituted 
the  moneyed  interest  of  the  kingdom,  which  was  henceforth 
known  as  the  paradise  of  the  Jews.  During  the  subse- 
quent periods  of  revolution  they  relieved  the  pecuniary  em- 
barrassments of  the  nobles,  and  advanced  large  sums  of 
money,  the  payment  of  which  was  secured  by  mortgage 
upon  their  landed  property.  These  mortgages  were  never 
paid,  and  a number  of  the  estates  passed  into  their  possession. 

Since  the  conquest  of  the  Russians,  they  have  been  ex- 
posed to  the  merciless  exactions  of  the  avaricious  and  un- 
principled officers  of  the  Emperor.  By  the  most  unjust  and 
cruel  decrees,  they  have  been  forced  to  enter  the  army,  to 
leave  their  homes  and  property,  to  evacuate  the  country 
upon  the  frontiers,  and  in  many  instances  to  adopt  the  Rus- 
sian costume,  cut  off  their  beards,  pay  taxes  upon  the  books 
relating  to  their  religion,  and  conform  to  certain  usages  and 
laws,  from  which  they  had  been  previously  exempted.  Al- 
though the  severity  of  some  of  these  measures  has  been 
modified  by  the  imperial  ukases  of  recent  date,  which  like 
most  of  the  ukases  of  recent  date  are  a series  of  contradic- 
tions, marking  with  singular  effect  the  inconsistency  of  the 
imperial  will,  and  showing  an  alternate  struggle  of  ambition 
and  love  of  power  with  generosity  and  justice,  in  the  breast 
of  Nicholas ; yet  the  conduct  of  the  agents  of  the  govern- 
ment, independent  of  the  action  or  the  wishes  of  the  gov- 
ernment itself,  has  been  such  as  the  Jews  never  experienced 
before  in  Poland. 


332 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

The  Niemen — Invasion  and  Retreat  of  the  French — Custom  House  Officers 
— A Captain  of  the  Guard— Polish  Postilion — Field  of  Growkow — Entry 
into  Warsaw. 

In  the  afternoon  the  passports  were  returned,  and  leaving 
Kovno,  we  approached  that  bank  of  the  Niemen  from  which 
Napoleon  witnessed  the  passage  of  the  grande  armee , in 
1812.  For  three  successive  days  in  June,  three  bright 
warm  days,  formidable  legions,  radiant  with  enthusiasm, 
resplendent  with  glittering  steel  and  glancing  arms,  with 
waving  banners  and  martial  music,  defiled  across  the  bridges. 
More  than  four  hundred  thousand  soldiers,  the  most  warlike 
and  efficient  troops  of  modern  times,  accompanied  by  one 
hundred  thousand  horses,  and  twenty  thousand  chariots,  and 
forty  thousand  followers  of  the  camp,  passed  through  Kovno 
into  Russia.  On  the  twelfth  of  December  following,  a few 
thousand  of  these  soldiers,  a miserable  remnant  of  that  splen- 
did army,  returned  to  Kovno,  pursued  by  the  Hetman  Pla- 
toffi  Several  hundred  only  were  capable  of  making  any 
resistance,  and  with  these  the  heroic  Ney  protected  the  re- 
treat of  the  sick  and  wounded  to  the  bridge  upon  the  river. 
With  thirty  veterans  of  the  Guard,  he  defended  the  gates 
the  whole  of  the  next  day,  against  the  Cossacks,  and  was 
the  last  to  leave  and  cross  the  bridge  of  Kovno.  The  brav- 
est of  the  brave,  who  less  than  six  months  before  had  passed 
at  the  head  of  his  brilliant  battalions,  now  found  himself  de- 


THE  NIEMEN. 


333 


serted  and  alone.  Standing  upon  the  bridge,  he  fired  the 
last  shot  upon  the  enemy,  threw  his  musket  into  the  dark 
waters  of  the  Niemen,  and  disappeared  in  the  distant  forests. 
The  Russian  dead  more  than  equalled  the  number  of  the 
French  during  the  invasion  and  retreat ; the  bones  of  more 
than  six  hundred  thousand  men,  and  of  beasts  of  burden 
without  number,  whitened  the  plains,  along  which  these 
multitudes  had  pursued  their  line  of  march, — where  they 
had  met  in  conflict,  and  where  they  perished  with  cold,  and 
famine,  and  fatigue.  Upon  the  sands  along  the  Niemen 
may  still  be  seen  the  relics  of  the  grande  armee.  Many  of 
the  sons  of  France  had  been  buried  there  by  their  surviving 
countrymen,  but  the  storms  and  wind  have  driven  the  loose 
soil  from  off  their  graves,  and  exposed  their  skeletons  to  the 
eye  of  the  passing  traveller.  They  lie  there,  bleached  by 
exposure  and  undisturbed,  for  no  Russian  will  give  them 
burial,  for  fear  of  evil  fortune. 

We  crossed  the  river  upon  a raft,  and  as  soon  as  we 
touched  the  soil  of  ancient  Poland,  the  custom-house  guard 
took  possession  of  the  luggage,  and  marched  us  to  an  ad- 
joining building,  where  our  persons,  passports,  and  portman- 
teaus were  exposed  to  a strict  examination.  We  had  no  fear 
of  being  found  in  the  possession  of  any  thing  contraband, 
except  so  far  as  the  contents  of  a segar-case, — one  dozen 
Havanas,  were  concerned ; but  to  prevent  any  difficulty, 
we  produced  these,  and  handed  them  over  to  the  officers, 
who  laid  them  aside  for  further  reflection.  The  trunks  and 
packages  were  all  opened,  and  every  thing  was  looked 
through  and  into  with  particular  caxe.  Our  dispatches  and 
our  special  passport,  with  the  seal  of  state,  and  the  signature 
of  Nesselrode,  gave  us  some  consideration,  and  protected 


334 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


our  effects  from  ruthless  violation.  But  the  bags  and  boxes 
of  the  others  were  turned  upside  down,  ransacked  and  dis- 
composed in  the  most  admirable  manner.  The  guitar  of 
St.  Juliano  was  taken  out  the  case,  and  despite  his  solici- 
tations and  ours  in  his  behalf,  was  thumbed  and  fingered  by 
every  soldier  and  waiter  in  attendance,  and  finally  restored 
to  the  trembling  Italian,  with  jeers  and  laughter.  The  young 
Pole  was  an  object  of  particular  insult  and  suspicion.  His 
pockets  were  searched,  and  his  pocket-book  and  papers  ex- 
amined. They  took  out  the  bank  notes,  and  held  them  to 
the  light  to  see  if  they  were  genuine  ; and  when  he  ventured 
to  remonstrate,  by  stating  that  he  had  resided  for  a long 
time  as  a student  in  St.  Petersburg,  had  conducted  himself 
well,  and  had  never  been  denounced  as  a suspicious  person, 
the  chief  officer  told  him  to  hold  his  tongue,  saying,  at  the 
same  time,  in  the  most  ferocious  manner,  “ I do  now  de- 
nounce you  as  a suspicious  person,  and  I place  your  name 
upon  the  list  of  those  who  are  the  most  dangerous  subjects 
of  his  majesty.”  He  answered  not,  but  a tear  fell  upon 
his  cheek,  as  he  witnessed  the  recording  of  his  name  upon 
a list  of  his  countrymen,  victims  to  be  sacrificed  at  the 
first  whisper  of  conspiracy  in  Poland.  The  segar-case  was 
returned,  less  one-half  its  contents,  and  St.  Juliano  com- 
plained of  the  loss  of  his  guitar  strings.  With  the  dis- 
appearance of  these,  and  a few  other  trifles,  we  left  the 
custom-house,  followed  by  a crowd  of  savage-looking  ser- 
vants, asking  for  money. 

There  was  no  inn  or  public  house  of  any  description  at 
this  place,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  we  obtained  a con- 
veyance to  a distant  post-house,  where  it  was  necessary  to 
jRiake  other  arrangements  for  the  further  prosecution  of  the 


THE  FRONTIER. 


335 


journey, — for  up  to  this  time,  the  revenue  and  police  de- 
partments, the  post-offices  and  mail-coaches,  were  still  dis- 
tinct and  separate  from  those  of  Russia,  and  under  a differ- 
ent administration.  This  post-house  stood  solitary  and 
alone.  The  surrounding  country,  for  many  miles,  was  en- 
tirely deserted.  By  a ukase  promulgated  for  the  prevention 
of  smuggling,  the  whole  population  had  recently  been  obliged 
to  retire  many  miles  within  the  frontier.  In  this  post-house 
our  passports  were  again  examined,  and  being  found  correct, 
we  were  permitted  to  secure  seats  in  the  mail-coach  to  leave 
in  the  evening  for  Warsaw.  Here  our  party  was  joined  by 
an  old  Pole,  who  had  served  under  Rapp  in  the  campaign 
of  1812,  and  a Russian  captain  of  the  cavalry  of  the  Impe- 
rial Guard.  The  captain  we  had  known  in  St.  Petersburg, 
and  were  very  glad  to  meet  him,  for  it  must  be  confessed, 
that  our  companions  hitherto  were  of  an  inferior  descrip- 
tion, if  we  except  the  youthful  Pole,  and  Signor  St.  Juliano, 
who,  for  the  sake  of  brevity,  we  called  Medoc.  The  latter 
taking  us  for  Milords  Inglesi,  and  seeing  the  importance 
of  our  passport,  sought  our  patronage  and  protection,  by 
taking  charge  of  the  luggage. 

The  captain,  who  had  made  several  campaigns  in  the 
Caucasus,  entertained  us  with  long  stories  of  the  bravery 
of  the  Circassians,  and  the  beauty  of  the  Georgians  ; and 
what  was  more,  gave  us  a few  stanzas  of  the  veritable 
“ Jim  Crow,”  and  the  graceful  “ wheel  about,  turn  about” 
accompaniment.  It  is  easy  to  imagine  our  surprise  at  wit- 
nessing this  performance  in  a secluded  post-house,  in  a 
desert  of  the  far  North.  It  appeared  that  the  captain  had 
been  sent  to  England  some  years  before,  to  finish  his  ed- 
ucation, and  among  other  accomplishments,  he  brought 


336 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


home  to  Russia,  was  this  one  of  jumping  Jim  Crow.  He 
said  he  amused  large  parties  at  the  houses  of  his  friends 
and  relatives,  by  blacking  with  burnt  cork,  and  showing 
folks  the  peculiar  songs  and  dances  of  the  republicans  ; for, 
until  very  recently,  he  had  supposed,  in  common  with  a 
vast  majority  of  his  countrymen,  that  the  Americans  were 
negroes. 

At  eight  in  the  evening  we  left  the  lonely  post-house. 
The  Polish  postilion  is  far  superior  to  the  Russian  yem- 
shick.  He  wears  a green  coat,  trimmed  with  black  braid  ; 
he  blows  a stirring  peal  upon  his  bugle-horn  ; he  flourishes 
a long  whip  and  lash,  and  drives  with  a skill  and  speed 
unknown  in  any  other  part  of  Europe.  On  we  went  all 
the  night,  and  all  the  next  day,  and  all  the  next  night  too, 
passing  the  same  dirty  villages,  and  the  same  miserable 
population.  On  Friday  morning,  just  at  the  peep  of  a 
bright,  clear  day,  the  horn  of  the  postilion  sent  forth  a 
strain  that  aroused  and  riveted  the  attention  of  our  Polish 
companions.  It  was  a national  air,  one  that  was  prohibited. 
The  Russian  captain  was  asleep.  The  old  soldier  listened 
until  the  last  echoes  had  died  away,  and  exchanged  glances 
with  his  counHyman.  We  were  passing  the  field, — the 
famous  field  of  Growkow,  where  the  Russians  under  Die- 
bitsh  were  defeated ; where  the  cuirassiers  of  the  Imperial 
Guard  were  cut  to  pieces ; and  where  five  hundred  gentle- 
men of  Poland,  dressed  in  gay  attire,  marched  on  to  death, 
as  if  to  a scene  of  festival  and  pleasure. 

At  nine  o’clock,  we  discovered  the  buildings  of  the  cap- 
ital, rising  with  considerable  beauty,  upon  an  elevation 
beyond  ; and  soon  after,  crossing  the  broad  Vistula  by  a 
bridge  of  boats,  we  entered  Warsaw. 


ARRIVAL  IN  WARSAW. 


337 


As  usual,  the  passports  were  taken  away  and  the  baggage 
examined  ; after  which,  accompanied  by  the  Russian  cap- 
tain and  St.  Juliano,  we  repaired  to  the  Hotel  d’Angletere, 
in  one  of  whose  dismal  chambers,  Napoleon,  upon  his  re- 
turn from  Russia,  had  his  memorable  interview  with  the 
Abbe  de  Pradt.  St.  Juliano,  who  wished  to  make  himself 
useful,  immediately  engaged  rooms.  These,  however,  con- 
tained little  or  no  furniture,  for  it  appeared  from  the  state- 
ment of  the  landlord,  that  many  Russian  travellers  prefer 
sleeping  upon  the  floor,  rather  than  pay  for  the  use  of  articles 
which  they  consider  entirely  superfluous.  It  was  necessary, 
therefore,  to  bargain  for  beds,  bedding,  towels,  washing 
utensils,  etc.,  each  and  all  separately,  and  for  the  use  of 
which,  there  was  a certain  specified  price. 


15 


338 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Warsaw — Streets — Palaces — Population — The  Iron  Monument — The  Envi- 
rons— Grand  Duke  Constantine— Coronation  of  Nicholas — Revolution  and 
Fall  of  Poland. 

War  and  revolution  have  deprived  Warsaw  of  many  of 
its  monuments.  Jews  and  Russians  form  a large  portion 
of  its  present  population.  The  streets  are  narrow  and 
dirty,  and  the  churches  in  the  style  of  the  renaissance. 
The  palaces  once  inhabited  by  the  great  seigneurs  of  Po- 
land, and  a few  of  which  do  still  belong  to  those  of  the  aris- 
tocracy who  have  followed  the  banners  or  enlisted  in  the 
service  of  the  Czar,  are  heavy  and  graceless  edifices.  The 
Zamek,  an  old  chateau  of  the  Jagellons,  now  inhabited  by 
Paskevitch,  field-marshal,  prince  of  Warsaw,  and  vice- 
roi  of  Poland,  overlooks  the  Vistula  and  the  plains  beyond. 
The  pictures  and  curiosities  it  once  contained,  were  drag- 
ged away  to  Russia  by  the  savage  hordes  of  Suwarrow ; 
the  hall  of  the  Diet,  and  the  banquet-chamber  of  the  great 
palatines  and  castellans,  have  been  plundered  of  every  me- 
mento of  more  glorious  days. 

It  was  built  by  Sigismund  the  Third,  whose  statue  crowns 
a neighboring  column.  The  old  palace,  that  was  the  resi- 
dence of  Augustus,  King  of  Saxony  and  Poland,  had  been 
recently  purchased  by  a Russian  tea-dealer,  and  modernized. 
It  stands  in  the  Place  de  Saxe.  A fine  park  in  the  rear 
has  been  preserved  as  a public  promenade,  and  the  open 


THE  MONUMENT. 


339 


place  in  front  is  used  as  a parade,  and  for  the  exercise  of 
the  troops.  Upon  this  parade,  an  iron  monument  has  been 
erected  by  Nicholas  of  Russia,  to  commemorate  the  final 
subjugation,  and  the  annexation  of  Poland  to  his  Empire. 
The  sensations  excited  in  the  breast  of  those,  who  read 
upon  its  base  the  sentence  of  eternal  servitude,  and  total 
extinction  of  the  Poles  from  the  list  of  nations,  cannot 
be  described,  but  every  traveller  must  express  his  indig- 
nation at  this  atrocious  manifestation  of  Imperial  malice. 
It  is  an  insult  to  a brave  and  fallen  foe,  unworthy  a gen- 
erous barbarian  or  successful  soldier.  While  it  records 
the  misfortunes  of  the  one,  it  equally  declares  the  petty 
spite  of  the  other,  and  more  than  any  other  open  and 
avowed  act  of  his  majesty  of  Russia,  evinces  a want  of 
good  taste  and  good  feeling,  alike  discreditable  to  his  head 
and  heart.  Willanow,  once  the  villa  of  Sobieski,  is  to  be 
seen  in  the  beautiful  environs  of  Warsaw.  The  gardens 
of  Lazienski  beside  the  Vistula,  and  the  groves  of  Ujazlov, 
are  filled  in  summer  with  a crowd  of  idlers.  The  Italians 
were  singing  in  the  theatre  of  Constantine,  and  Lola 
Montes  and  the  ballet-dancers  delighted  the  lieutenant  of 
the  Czar ; — but  Warsaw,  that  was  the  residence  of  the 
Mascovian  dukes,  and  of  the  dynasty  of  the  Jagellons,  and 
of  those  chivalrous  chieftains  who  conquered  Smolensko, 
and  Kief,  and  Moscow, — and  of  those,  more  glorious  still, 
who  in  later  days  fell  fighting  for  their  country  ; — that  War- 
saw, if  not  deserted,  is  yet  the  Necropolis  of  a gallant  peo- 
ple, whose  most  enduring  monuments  are  the  battle-fields 
in  evefy  suburb. 

The  modern  edifices,  which  appear  most  imposing  and 
attract  most  attention,  were  erected  by  the  Grand  Duke 


340  THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 

Constantine,  who  during  his  administration,  endeavored 
to  ornament  and  embellish  his  little  Paris,  as  he  was  wont 
to  call  the  capital.  This  singular  and  capricious  person 
renounced  his  right  to  the  Imperial  throne,  because  he 
wished  to  marry  Janna  Grousinsky,  the  daughter  of  a Polish 
gentleman,  and  because,  as  he  himself  stated,  he  possessed 
“ none  of  the  abilities  requisite  for  the  exercise  of  govern- 
ment.” Nicholas  accordingly  became  Emperor.  His  cor- 
onation took  place  at  Moscow  in  1826,  and  in  the  subse- 
quent year  he  was  crowned  King  of  Poland.  During  the 
ceremonies  attending  the  latter  event,  he  kneeled  before 
the  altar  and  said  in  a loud  voice,  “ May  my  heart,  O my 
God  and  Master,  be  in  thy  hand,  and  may  I reign  for  the 
happiness  of  my  people,  and  for  the  glory  of  thy  holy  name, 
according  to  the  charter  granted  by  my  august  predecessor, 
and  sworn  to  by  me,  in  order  that  I may  not  fear  to  appear 
before  thee  in  the  day  of  thy  eternal  judgment.” 

After  this  solemn  act,  Constantine  w7as  confirmed  Vice- 
roi  of  Poland,  and  knowing  the  inclination  of  the  people 
for  amusement,  he  built  a magnificent  theatre,  and  engaged 
in  various  projects  for  their  gratification.  But  these  appa- 
rent acts  of  generosity,  were  followed  with  the  outbreak  of 
violent  passions,  and  the  indulgence  of  monstrous  cruelties. 
The  publicity  of  the  Diet  was  suppressed,  the  freedom  of 
the  press  destroyed,  the  sources  of  national  wealth  cor- 
rupted,—monopolies  and  public  treasure  rewarded  the  vile 
agents,  who  by  secrecy  and  provocation,  calumny  and  es- 
pionage, had  infected  with  their  venom  the  freedom  of 
private  life,  and  converted  the  hospitality  of  the^people 
into  a snare  for  virtue  and  innocence.  Abominable  vices 
taught  and  practised  in  the  public  schools,  led  to  the  phys- 


THE  REVOLUTION. 


341 


ical  and  moral  deterioration  of  the  noble  youth;  personal 
liberty  was  violated  ; the  prisons  were  full  to  overflowing ; 
councils  of  war,  composed  of  Russian  officers,  became  the 
tribunals  for  the  adjudication  of  private  rights.  Such  was 
the  state  of  affairs  in  Warsaw,  when  news,  of  the  Revo- 
lution of  July,  expressions  of  sympathy  and  promises  of  as- 
sistance from  certain  patriots  and  politicians,  urged  the 
Poles  to  make  one  more  effort  for  their  country. 

On  the  29th  November,  1830,  a number  of  cadets  forced 
an  entrance  into  the  palace  of  the  Belvidere,  the  suburban 
residence  of  Constantine.  Several  of  the  aides-de-camp  of 
this  prince  were  struck  dead,  while  defending  the  door  of 
his  chamber ; with  the  assistance  of  another,  an  American 
and  a favorite,  he  escaped  by  a secret  passage,  and  fled  to 
the  barracks  of  the  Russian  troops.  These  were  ten  thou- 
sand strong,  and  might  at  once  have  crushed  the  conspiracy. 
But  Constantine  was  as  remarkable  for  cowardice  as  for 
cruelty,  and  fled  with  his  guards  from  Warsaw.  In  a few 
weeks  thereafter,  the  people  of  Poland  were  up  in  arms  - 
in  a few  months,  victory  followed  victory  over  their  ancient 
foes.  Whole  regiments  were  clothed  and  fed  at  the  expense 
of  private  citizens,  and  young  and  old  marched  out  to  con- 
quer or  to  die,  singing  the  long-forbidden  airs  and  verses 
that  breathed  of  liberty  and  their  never-dying  love  of 
country.  The  memory  of  the  power,  glory,  and  heroism 
of  those  who  stood  prominent  in  the  annals  of  the  past, 
roused  up  an  energy  only  to  be  satisfied  upon  the  field 
of  battle.  They  did  all  that  men  could  do, — they  fought, 
they  bled,  they  died,  they  conquered.  The  mother  who 
placed  the  musket  in  the  hands  of  her  only  child ; the 
wife  who  girded  with  the  good  sword  the  husband  of  her 


342 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


love ; those  who  offered  all  and  every  thing,  upon  the  altar 
of  their  country,  made  a vain  and  useless  sacrifice. 

For  a moment,  the  cause  of  a bleeding  nation  was  trium- 
phant. Diebitsch,  mortified  with  repeated  discomfiture  and 
defeat,  destroyed  himself,  or  was  destroyed  by  poison ; and 
the  madman,  Constantine,  died  from  the  effects  of  constant 
debauchery.  But  all  Europe  looked  upon  the  struggle, 
without  an  effort  in  behalf  of  a people  who  had  been  the 
bulwark  of  Christendom,  when  threatened  with  the  despot- 
ism of  the  Turks,  and  who  could  again  have  been  a bulwark 
against  the  despotism  of  the  Russians.  Louis  Philippe  wras 
intent  upon  maintaining  his  throne  and  the  general  peace  ; 
England  saw  no  commercial  advantage  that  would  accrue 
to  her  by  interference ; and  the  star  of  Poland,  shining 
brighter  than  it  ever  did  before,  illuminating  the  political 
firmament  with  an  effulgence  which,  though  passed  away, 
can  never  be  forgotten,  was  quenched  in  the  darkness  of  the 
northern  night. 

The  contest  closed  with  the  approach  of  Paskevitch  at 
the  head  of  an  overwhelming  force.  Seeing  no  succor  at 
hand,  a retreat  or  a surrender  was  proposed.  Those  who 
recommended  the  latter  course  were  shot  dead  by  their  in- 
furiated countrymen.  On  the  twenty-ninth  of  July,  the 
Russians  crossed  the  Vistula,  and  thousands  of  the  Poles 
retired  into  Germany.  The  Countess  P.,  celebrated  for  her 
wit  and  beauty,  and  other  ladies  of  rank  and  fortune,  entered 
Dresden  in  the  uniforms  of  the  Royal  Hussars  of  Poland — 
a dress  which  they  had  worn  during  the  whole  of  this  event- 
ful period,  and  which  they  had  adopted  in  imitation  of  their 
ancestors,  the  warlike  women  of  Sarmatia.  On  the  sixth 
of  September  W arsaw  was  assaulted,  and  after  a desperate 


FALL  OF  WARSAW. 


343 


and  hopeless  resistance,  yielded  to  Paskevitch,  who  entered 
in  triumph  on  the  eighth.  He  spared  the  city.  There  was 
little  to  destroy,  and  few  were  left  upon  whom  vengeance 
could  be  inflicted.  The  youth,  the  pride,  and  the  beauty  of 
the  capita],  had  died  upon  the  field  of  battle  or  had  fled ; 
the  little  Paris,  so  gay  nine  months  before,  had  become 
almost  a desert.  Order  reigned  in  Warsaw.  The  revenge 
of  the  Czar  was  terrible.  Poland  was  declared  a province, 
incorporated  with  the  Russian  Empire,  and  obliterated  from 
the  map  of  Europe.  The  Poles,  innocent  or  guilty,  were 
treated  as  criminals,  and  sent  in  droves  to  Siberia  and 
the  Caucasus.  Hordes  of  Russians  entered  the  country, 
and  reaped  with  the  Jews  the  remaining  riches  of  the 
state. 

All  civil  and  military  posts  are  filled  by  the  most  de- 
voted officers  of  the  Emperor,  while  legions  of  fanatical  and 
ignorant  priests  of  the  Greek  faith,  torture  with  ingenious 
cruelty  the  nuns  and  friars  of  the  Roman  convents.  Those 
who  were  in  affluence,  have  been  reduced  to  poverty  ; — 
those  who  possessed  industry  and  enterprise  have  fled, 
and  the  whole  trade  and  commerce  of  the  kingdom  is 
in  a state  of  complete  stagnation.  An  army  of  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  men  is  quartered  upon  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  troops  of  wild  Calmucks  and  savage  Cossacks, 
badly  clothed  and  badly  paid,  have  been  let  loose  upon  the 
country,  with  carte  blanche  to  persecute  and  plunder.  The 
Polish  population  lament  their  woes  in  secret,  and  the  youth 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  years  of  age,  constantly  detected  in 
conspiracy,  or  constantly  denounced  by  secret  spies  and  un- 
known agents  of  the  police,  are  sent  in  numbers  to  the  mines, 


344 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


or  forced  into  the  army.  Such  is  the  state  of  Warsaw  and 
of  Poland. 

However  we  may  deplore  the  loss  of  the  rights  and  priv- 
ileges of  a great  people,  and  however  desirable  it  wouM  be 
to  see  each  nation  enjoying,  within  the  boundaries  of  its 
empire,  the  nationality  to  which  by  nature  it  is  entitled  ; 
still  we  must  remember,  that  the  loss  of  these  is  generally 
caused  by  a state  of  things  engendered  in  the  corruptions 
of  society.  To  this  we  may  trace  all  the  misery  which  for 
a long  series  of  years  has  afflicted  Poland.  The  monarchs, 
or  rulers  of  the  Slavonic  tribes,  were  formerly  elective. 
They  were  chosen  by  the  boyards,  or  great  men  of  the  na- 
tion, in  council  assembled.  It  was  so  with  the  Muscovites 
in  earlier  times,  and  it  was  so  with  the  Polazzi,  or  the  Sla- 
vonians of  the  plains.  Although  the  crown  of  Poland  re- 
mained for  several  generations  with  the  descendants  of 
Piast  and  of  Jagellon,  the  elevation  of  each  to  the  throne 
was  attended  with  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of  an  election. 
The  male  line  of  the  latter  dynasty  became  extinct  in  1572, 
and  from  that  time  forth,  Poland  has  been  distracted  with 
feud  and  faction.  Foreign  influence,  called  by  Washington 
the  bane  of  all  republics,  was  brought  to  bear  in  the  election 
of  the  monarch.  Henry  of  Anjou,  through  the  intrigues  of 
France,  was  seated  upon  the  throne,  and  at  every  succeed- 
ing contest,  various  potentates  of  various  states  had  their 
candidates  and  hired  partisans,  who  disputed  the  crown 
with  violence  and  with  fraud. 

The  elective  system,  so  long  as  the  electors  were 
pure  and  patriotic,  was  certainly  superior  to  the  boasted 
virtues  of  legitimacy,  and  productive  of  good  kings  and 
good  government.  But  when  the  Polish  nobles  became 


PALL  OF  POLAND. 


345 


corrupt,  and  lost  to  all  sense  of  public  virtue,  their  dissen- 
sions divided  the  country  and  led  to  its  final  ruin.  It  is  a 
very  extraordinary  fact,  that  John  Cassimir,  in  his  speech 
to  the  Polish  Diet,  July  the  fourth,  1661,  foretold  with  al- 
most the  spirit  of  prophecy,  how,  why,  and  by  whom,  Po- 
land would  one  day  be  partitioned ; and  if  we  follow  up  the 
record  of  the  profligacy  and  the  outrageous  conduct  of  the 
nobles  from  that  time  up  to  1770,  when  Russian  gold  and 
Russian  corruption  completely  sapped  the  principles  of  its 
existence,  we  cannot  be  surprised  that  this  was  the  result. 
In  1773,  Poland  had  lost  all  that  she  had  ever  boasted  of 
power  and  reputation  in  Europe.  The  ancient  liberties  her 
people  claim  to  have  enjoyed,  were  entirely  forgotten.  The 
king  was  without  the  shadow  of  authority,  an  insolent  aris- 
tocracy ruled  without  restraint,  law  and  order  were  lost 
sight  of  in  the  strife  for  office.  Amidst  the  violence  of  do- 
mestic feud,  and  the  insidious  policy  of  foreign  foes,  the 
kingdom  trembled  between  the  dreadful  alternatives  of 
anarchy  and  despotism.  Alas ! what  matters  the  experi- 
ence of  the  past,  if  it  does  not  instruct  us  for  our  future 
guidance.  Poland  is  now  paying  the  penalty  which  na- 
tions, like  men,  must  pay  for  a long  course  of  disorder,  and 
if  this  penalty  is  a bitter  one,  the  more  should  she  profit, 
should  she  recover  herself  hereafter.  Her  fate  is  decided 
for  several  generations,  or  until  some  great  event  shall  fill 
the  Russian  Empire  with  commotion.  Perhaps  she  is  lost 
forever.  Tribes  of  men  springing  from  the  same  stock  are 
the  most  unrelenting  in  their  enmity,  and  their  wars  are 
often  wars  of  extermination.  Her  great  oppressor,  of  the 
same  origin  and  the  same  race,  offers  her  complete  amal- 
gamation or  perpetual  war. 


15* 


346 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX. 


Departure  from  Warsaw — Travelling  Companions — Market-day  in  Lovitz — 
Polish  Peasantry — Approach  the  Frontiers — Brightening  Scenes — Leave 
the  Russian  Territories — Cracow — Inns — Jews  of  Poland. 

It  was  with  a certain  degree  of  satisfaction  we  made 
arrangements  to  leave  the  old  capital  of  Poland.  We  said 
farewell  to  the  Russian  captain,  who  was  now  attached  to 
the  person  of  Prince  Paskevitch ; we  paid  the  landlord  of 
the  Hotel  d’  Angletere  his  bill,  in  which  were  charged  as 
extras  “ three  towels,  for  three  days,”  and  accompanied  by 
Medoc,  who  had  quite  recovered  from  the  effects  of  fatigue 
and  frost,  we  went  to  the  post-house,  where  places  had  been 
secured  in  the  coach  for  Cracow.  Here  we  paid  for  over- 
weight of  luggage,  after  which  the  weigher  hinted  the  pro- 
priety of  our  giving  him  a trifle,  since  he  had  saved  us  a 
rouble  with  a falsehood.  The  passports,  the  eternal  pass- 
ports, were  again  examined  at  the  gates,  and  after  some 
delay  we  were  off,  and  rapidly  traversing  the  level  plains 
watered  by  the  Vistula.  We  passed  through  many  inferior 
towns  and  villages,  as  usual  very  dirty,  but  still  somewhat 
better  in  appearance  than  any  we  had  seen  elsewhere  in  the 
Empire. 

We  stopped  at  Lovitz,  which  was  the  metropolis  of  an 
ancient  principality,  but  now  a town  of  very  little  conse- 
quence. It  was  a market-day,  and  the  streets  were  filled 
with  people.  The  beard  of  the  Russian  serf,  and  the  uniform 


POLISH  PEASANTRY. 


347 


of  the  Russian  soldier,  were  lost  in  the  crowd  of  the  Polish 
peasantry,  whose  dress  and  behavior  showed  at  once  a 
distinct  and  a different  people.  Good  looks,  and  neat- 
ness of  attire,  indicated  an  intelligence  superior  to  what  we 
had  encountered  in  Russia.  Of  all  the  Slavonic  tribes,  the 
Poles  were  the  first  to  emerge  from  barbarism.  In  knowl- 
edge and  in  literature,  in  art  and  science,  they  have  always 
been  in  advance  of  their  conquerors.  The  Polish  nobles 
are  better  informed,  and  the  Polish  peasantry,  degraded  as 
they  may  be,  are  more  civilized  than  those  of  Russia.  Some 
have  supposed  that  this  is  the  result  of  a difference  of  re- 
ligion, and  trace  the  greater  improvement  of  the  Poles  to 
the  higher  influence  and  better  instruction  of  the  Roman 
church.  This  may  or  may  not  be ; but  he  who  enters  Po- 
land, after  a residence  in  Russia,  will  scarcely  fail  to  remark 
that  the  men  and  women  are  as  handsome,  gay,  and  agree- 
able, in  the  one,  as  they  were  ugly,  gloomy,  and  barbarous 
in  the  other. 

Our  companions  in  the  coach  were,  the  one  a titled  lady, 
and  the  other  an  untitled  gentleman  of  Poland.  The  former 
no  sooner  discovered  that  we  were  from  the  United  States, 
than  we  heard,  what  we  had  often  heard  before,  and  what 
every  American  will  often  hear  in  Poland,  “ Oh  ! how  happy 
you  must  be !”  She  asked  all  about  our  native  land,  and 
the  Poles  who  had  gone  thither.  The  Pole,  a good-looking 
man,  dressed  in  a dark  coat  trimmed  with  embroidery  and 
lined  with  fur,  manifested  the  same  curiosity,  but  not  the 
same  intelligence.  He  could  not  speak  French  or  German, 
but  asked  in  Latin,  who  was  the  king  or  emperor  of  our 
country.  “ Rex  et  imperator  sum,’’  was  the  reply.  This 
seemed  to  astonish  him  exceedingly,  and  he  wished  an  ex- 


348 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


planation,  which  we  would  have  given  him,  if  the  Latin  we 
learned  at  Nassau  Hall  would  have  enabled  us,  not  to  dis- 
course like  Cicero,  but  to  make  ourselves  understood.  After 
several  ineffectual  attempts  to  explain  the  nature  of  our  in- 
stitutions, during  which  we  referred  to  the  “ E pluribus 
unum,”  we  requested  our  female  friend  to  act  as  an  inter- 
preter. They  both  had  friends  and  relatives  who  had  been 
involved  in  the  ruin  of  their  country.  Some  of  them  were 
sent  to  Siberia,  and  some  had  escaped  to  the  United  States. 
Of  their  fate  and  fortunes  they  knew  nothing,  as  all  com- 
munication was  cut  off,  and  every  letter  intercepted.  The 
accounts  they  gave  us  of  the  atrocious  insults  and  infa- 
mous treatment  they  experienced  from  the  Russian  sol- 
diery and  Russian  police,  confirmed  all  that  we  had  pre- 
viously heard.  Repeated  violation  of  the  common  decen- 
cies of  life  ; systematic  persecution  of  the  innocent  and 
the  guilty  ; fraudulent  accusations  of  secret  spies,  and  the 
corruption  of  judicial  tribunals ; the  infliction  of  the  knout 
upon  women,  stripped  to  the  waist,  and  exposed  to  the 
public  gaze ; are  things  of  every  day  occurrence  in  un- 
happy Poland. 

A young  nobleman  was  lately  arrested  in  Warsaw  upon 
suspicion,  taken  to  the  citadel,  and  so  badly  treated,  that 
little  hope  was  left  of  life.  It  was  then  resolved  to  restore 
him  to  his  family,  and  two  or  three  days  before  his  promised 
liberation,  his  betrothed  was  permitted  to  visit  and  console 
him.  As  she  was  about  to  leave,  he  whispered,  “ Be  care- 
ful to  burn  my  robe  de  chambre.”  These  words  were  un- 
fortunately overheard  by  the  listening  jailer,  and  as  she  was 
going  out  of  the  prison,  she  was  seized,  thrown  into  a dun- 
geon, and  tortures  employed  to  force  her  to  tell  where  she 


THE  MARTYRS. 


349 


had  concealed  the  robe  de  chambre.  She  suffered,  but  not 
a word  escaped  her.  After  being  dreadfully  mutilated,  she 
was  taken  to  her  home,  and  died  the  following  day,  as  did 
her  broken-hearted  lover.  At  the  same  hour,  and  in  the 
same  church,  the  funeral  ceremonies  of  both  were  celebrated 
in  the  presence  of  a large  portion  of  the  Polish  population 
of  Warsaw.  Silently  and  mournfully  the  crowd  followed 
their  bodies  to  the  grave,  and  after  the  burial,  the  cloths 
which  had  covered  the  biers  were  torn  into  a thousand 
pieces,  and  kept  as  relics  of  the  martyrs. 

Our  companions,  after . a sad  recital  of  their  sufferings, 
passed  on  with  the  vivacity  for  which  the  Poles  are  remark- 
able, to  praise  the  natural  beauty  of  their  country.  The 
Pole  wished  to  know  if  ours  was  as  fair  a land,  if  our  people 
were  as  handsome ; and  gallantly  kissing  the  hand  of  the 
lady  passenger,  he  inquired  if  the  Polish  women  were  not 
beautiful.  Pulcherrimce  toiius  mundi,  the  fairest  in  the 
world.  This  answer  pleased  him  beyond  measure.  He 
kissed  the  lady  upon  both  cheeks,  and  assured  us  that  after 
Poland  the  United  States  was  probably  the  finest  country  in 
the  universe. 

In  the  evening  we  reached  Raddom,  in  the  old  palatinate 
of  Sandomer,  and  formerly  the  residence  of  one  of  the  great 
castellans  of  the  kingdom.  Here  our  Polish  companions 
left  us,  with  many  compliments,  and  with  Medoc  we  con- 
tinued on  our  journey.  The  following  morning  we  per- 
ceived distant  hills  upon  the  frontiers  of  Silesia.  It  was 
a fine  autumnal  morning,  and  in  our  agreeable  sensations 
we  felt  that  the  winter,  the  snow  and  ice,  and  the  high 
plains  of  Russia,  had  been  left  far  behind  us.  We  hailed 
with  almost  childish  delight,  every  indication  of  another 


350 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


country ; the  gentle  undulations  of  the  soil,  the  oak  and 
beech,  though  dressed  in  sere  and  yellow  leaves,  and  the  red 
flower  of  the  clover,  still  flourishing  here  and  there  in  the 
little  nooks  and  corners  protected  from  the  wind.  The  val- 
leys that  extend  hence  towards  the  Vistula  in  the  waiwodat 
of  Cracow,  are  exceedingly  beautiful  and  fertile.  The 
charms  of  this  landscape,  and  the  pleasures  of  rural  life  have 
been  reflected  in  the  pastorals  of  native  bards,  and  are 
sung  in  the  artless  lays  of  the  people.  Agriculture  has 
always  been  esteemed  in  Poland  as  the  most  honorable  of 
human  occupations,  and  the  proud  noble  who  is  reduced  to 
poverty,  retains  his  sword  and  frowns  upon  men  who  follow 
a profession.  He  prefers  the  plough  to  trade  or  traffic, 
which  he  leaves  altogether  to  the  Jews. 

In  town  and  country  as  we  passed  along  we  saw  multi- 
tudes of  the  Polish  peasantry.  The  men  appeared  in  neat 
surtouts,  lined  with  wool,  high  fur  caps,  and  boots  which 
reached  above  the  knee.  The  women  also  wore  the  surtout 
and  boots,  and  over  all  a snow-white  scarf,  which  falling  from 
the  shoulders,  nearly  covered  the  whole  body.  A white 
handkerchief  bound  about  the  head  completes  the  costumes 
of  the  women  of  this  waiwodat,  a costume  which  resembles 
more  the  dress  worn  by  the  Odalisque,  who  goes  shopping  in 
the  bazaars  of  Constantinople,  than  any  other  we  know  of. 
Mingled  with  the  peasantry  were  some  of  the  gentry  of  the 
country,  gay,  dashing  fellows,  all  spurred  and  booted,  and  in 
embroidered  coats,  cut  a-la-mode,  and  with  eyes,  sparkling 
with  an  intelligence  that  more  than  all  informed  us  of  our 
rapid  progress  towards  the  more  civilized  parts  of  Europe.. 

About  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  we 
stopped  at  an  isolated  post-house.  A Russian  soldier  took 


ARRIVAL  IN  CRACOW. 


35 1 


away  the  passports,  which  were  examined  and  returned.  In 
half  an  hour  after,  and  a few  miles  beyond,  the  important 
documents  were  again  examined ; and  again  a little  further 
on,  at  the  custom-house  upon  the  frontiers.  Here  we  were 
obliged  to  leave  or  exchange  our  Russian  money,  for  the 
exportation  of  the  coin,  and  importation  of  the  paper  once 
exported,  is  prohibited  by  the  Russian  laws.  Soon  after  this 
third  examination,  the  third  within  two  hours  of  our  persons, 
and  property,  and  passports,  we  crossed  the  limits  of  the 
dominion  of  the  Czar.  It  was  a beautiful  evening.  As  we 
passed  the  painted  barrier  that  reaches  across  the  road,  the 
god  of  day  was  sinking  in  the  west.  The  whole  circuit 
in  that  quarter  of  the  heaven  was  covered  with  purple 
and  golden  clouds.  Such  a sunset  we  had  never  seen  in 
Russia,  and  it  seemed  to  welcome  us  to  another  land,  and 
greet  us  with  the  promise  of  brighter  skies  and  better  pros- 
pects. Medoc  was  in  ecstacy.  His  apprehensions  of  diffi- 
culty and  his  dread  of  the  police  were  now  removed.  He 
was  out  of  prison,  out  of  danger.  Utterly  oblivious  to  the 
fact  of  his  having  volunteered  his  services  as  a valet,  and 
that  his  beard  was  of  ten  days’  growth,  he  yielded  to  the 
emotions  of  the  moment,  and  would  have  embraced  us  writh 
all  the  ardor  of  a sympathetic  soul. 

At  the  gates  of  Cracow,  the  passports  were  taken  from 
us,  and  a receipt  given,  with  the  request,  that  within 
twenty-four  hours,  we  should  appear  at  the  police  and  give 
an  account  of  ourselves.  It  was  quite  dark  when  we 
reached  the  Rose  Blanche , the  only  good  hotel  in  the 
city,  and  kept  by  a Frenchman.  Unfortunately  for  us,  a 
Polish  seigneur  and  his  retinue,  had  possession  of  all  the 
apartments,  and  even  the  floor  of  the  dining-hall  was  oc- 


352 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


cupied  by  his  menials.  We  then  repaired  to  an  inn  adjoin- 
ing. Here  the  peoole  were  all  Jews,  and  spoke  a gibberish 
of  German  derivation.  We  halted  upon  the  threshold  of 
this  forlorn  hostelry,  doubtful  as  to  the  propriety  of  intrust- 
ing ourselves  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  dark  figures  who 
invited  us  to  enter  the  obscure  passage.  Perceiving  the 
cause  of  our  hesitation,  they  vanished  to  find  a remedy. 
In  a few  minutes  a Jewish  maiden  appeared,  bearing  in  her 
hand  a lamp,  that  faintly  lighted  the  dim  recesses  and  partly 
revealed  her  own  surpassing  beauty.  She  beckoned  us  to 
enter,  and  we  willingly  followed  up  the  stairs,  and  through 
the  winding  entries  to  a chamber,  where  the  pretty  Jewess, 
after  discoursing  upon  the  excellent  condition  of  the  beds 
and  furniture,  while  we  were  gazing  upon  the  fine  contour 
of  her  features,  and  long  black  locks  of  hair  that  escaped 
from  beneath  the  blue-and-white  folds  of  her  turban,  asked 
if  we  were  willing  to  remain.  Of  course  we  were,  and  al- 
though we  may  have  been  as  comfortable  as  it  was  possible 
to  be  in  Cracow,  neither  the  representations  of  the  pretty 
Jewess,  nor  our  fatigue  nor  former  trials,  could  render  us 
insensible  to  the  attacks  of  the  detestable  little  creatures, 
who  infest  almost  every  habitation  in  this  part  of  the  north. 

The  next  morning  we  found  ourselves  in  a state  of  siege. 
It  seemed  as  if  all  the  Jews  in  Cracow  had  assembled  about 
the  inn.  They  lined  the  staircase  and  entries,  and  some 
with  a sidelong  step,  glided  into  the  apartment.  Vend- 
ers of  soap,  trinkets,  and  all  kinds  of  articles,  presented 
themselves  one  after  the  other,  and  insisted  upon  a bar- 
gain. One  old  woman,  shaking  a bag  of  coin,  and  shoving 
a pocket-book  filled  with  bank  notes,  wished  to  sell  us  Aus- 
trian money ; and  another,  a chattering  and  smiling  dame, 


THE  JEWS  OF  CRACOW. 


353 


taking  hold  of  our  watch  chain,  asked  if  it  was  “ goot  geld.” 
It  was  in  vain  that  we  requested  them  to  retire.  A resort 
to  Russian  tactics  was  absolutely  necessary.  Flourishing 
a cane  in  a threatening  manner,  the  crowd  of  Hebrews 
instantly  disappeared  with  their  goods  and  chatties  down 
the  stairway  into  the  street,  from  whence  looking  up  at  the 
windows,  they  continued  to  offer  us  their  wares.  Quick, 
keen,  and  ever  on  the  alert  for  a bargain,  the  Jews  of  Cra- 
cow will  do  almost  any  thing  for  payment,  and  chuckle 
with  peculiar  satisfaction  when  paid  a small  gratuity.  The 
m Pole  on  the  other  hand,  with  his  fur  cap  and  embroidered 
jacket,  is  an  idle  lazy  fellow,  delighting  in  ease  and  pleas- 
ure. He  is  brave,  handsome,  and  intelligent,  but  has  none 
of  the  craft  or  cunning  of  the  Jew  and  Russian.  While 
looking  upon  the  singular  people  thus  assembled  beneath 
the  window,  a youthful,  dark-eyed  son  of  Israel,  entered  the 
room  and  announced  himself  as  the  factor  or  messenger  of 
the  house.  He  carried  a little  ebony  cane,  and  a well- 
brushed  hat  in  his  hand,  and  bowed  politely  when  he  ad- 
dressed us.  He  wore  the  black  gown  of  his  tribe,  but  it 
was  of  good  material,  well-fashioned  and  fastened  about  his 
waist  with  a bright  scarlet  sash,  while  a neat  and  highly- 
polished  boot,  reaching  above  the  knee,  completed  the  pic- 
ture of  his  exterior.  A more  prepossessing  valet  could  not 
have  offered  to  conduct  us  to  the  monuments  of  Cracow. 


354 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

The  Zameck — Cathedral — Shrine  of  Stanislaus— The  Crypt — Tomb  of  Kos- 
ciusko— Wieliezka — The  Salt  Mines — The  Mound  of  Kosciusko. 

We  mounted  the  street  leading  to  the  summit  of  the  hills 
of  Wawel,  upon  which,  in  sullen  and  decayed  magnificence, 
stands  the  royal  residence  of  the  old  kings  of  Poland.  For 
a thousand  years  from  the  seventh  century,  this  rock  has 
been  the  cradle,  the  stronghold,  and  the  cemetery  of  the 
monarchs.  From  its  summit,  Cracus,  the  founder,  had  first 
beheld  the  rising  capital,  which  in  succeding  times,  was 
famous  for  its  commerce  and  prosperity,  and  which  still 
presents  in  its  narrow  and  winding  streets,  in  the  quaint 
forms  of  its  houses,  and  the  architecture  of  its  churches,  the 
appearance  of  a town  of  the  middle  ages.  We  reached  the 
gates  and  entered  the  court-yard  of  the  castle.  No  one 
barred  the  passage,  and  the  only  loiterers  there,  were  the 
paupers  and  squallid  beggars  who  people  this  immense  edi- 
fice. The  halls,  whose  splendor  so  dazzled  the  nobles  and 
ambassadors  of  every  country  who  frequented  the  court  of 
the  kings  of  Poland,  have  been  stripped  of  all  their  orna- 
ments. The  galleries  once  filled  with  trophies,  have  been 
divided  and  subdivided  to  contain  the  beds  of  the  poor  and 
sick  of  Cracow.  Every  sight  and  sound  within  the  Za- 
meck is  a startling  illustration  of  the  former  greatness  and 
the  present  misery  of  Poland. 

We  passed  into  the  adjoining  cathedral,  which  was  and 


THE  CATHEDRAL. 


355 


is,  part  and  parcel  of  the  palace.  If  the  kingdoms  of  this 
world  pass  away,  if  the  greatness  and  glory  of  the  state  is 
transient,  not  so  the  splendor  or  the  dignity  of  the  Christian 
church;  for  the  chapels  are  as  rich  in  decoration,  and  as 
holy  as  when  Sigismond  the  Third,  the  last  king  who  kept 
his  court  in  Cracow,  celebrated  high  mass  here  in  1610. 
Incense  burned  in  sacred  vessels,  vaulted  roofs  re-echoed 
with  the  psalmody  of  a hidden  choir,  and  many  old  and 
feeble  men  and  women,  kneeled  before  the  altar  of  the 
Virgin.  The  shrines  were  loaded  with  silver,  the  floors 
were  in  Italian  marble,  and  the  ceilings  were  covered  with 
paintings.  We  followed  the  noiseless  steps  of  a sacristan, 
who  pointed  to  the  mausoleums  of  the  chieftains  of  the 
more  glorious  days  of  Poland.  Here  was  the  stage  of  solid 
brass  where  the  monarchs  were  anointed  and  enthroned ; 
here  the  shrine  of  the  good  Stanislaus,  the  patron  saint 
of  Poland,  who  was  slain  at  the  altar  by  the  hand  of  Boles- 
laus  the  Bold here  the  tomb  of  Cassimir  the  Great,  who 
espoused  the  Jewess  Esther,  and  granted  her  kindred  cer- 
tain immunities  and  rights,  which  made  this  country  a home 
and  an  asylum  against  persecution ; — here  was  the  resting- 
place  of  the  Jagellons; — here  the  sepulchres  of  the  Poto- 
chis,  with  their  effigies,  their  arms,  and  Canova’s  sculp- 
tured image  of  their  last  hero,  who,  for  the  honor  of  his 
name,  fell  on  the  field  of  battle,  while  the  inheritors  of  his 
wealth  tremble  in  the  palaces  and  the  prisons  of  the  Czar. 
These  and  a hundred  relics  of  the  proud  prelates  and  val- 
iant soldiers  of  Sarmatia  were  all  around  us,  but  we  had 
heard  of  greater  yet  than  these,  who  lay  in  the  vaults  be- 
neath. We  signified  as  much  to  the  sacristan.  He  shook 
his  head  in  negation.  We  promised  him  extra  pay,  where- 


356 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


upon  he  called  in  two  assistants,  and  raised  the  heavy 
iron  doors  that  lay  upon  the  pavement.  With  lighted 
torches  we  descended  into  the  crypt.  In  a moment  we 
were  beside  the  tomb  of  Kosciusko, — -he  who  perilled  all  for 
our  dear  and  distant  country, — he  whose  monument  we  had 
so  often  seen  upon  the  hills  beside  the  Hudson.  Who  can 
describe  the  thrilling  sensations  and  the  thousand  memories 
awakened  at  the  grave  of  the  friend  of  Washington  ? Could 
it  be  so  ? Could  this  cold  stone  contain  the  ashes  of  the 
patriot  and  the  hero,  whose  name  we  had  been  taught  to 
utter  in  early  boyhood  ? Could  this  be  the  same  bold  and 
gallant  gentleman  who  had  traversed  the  land  and  seas  to 
fight  for  us  and  liberty,  and  returned  again,  so  far,  to  rear 
the  banners  of  his  country  ? Sleep,,  noble  spirit  ! sleep  on 
unconscious  of  the  degradation  of  thy  native  land,  but  live 
forever  in  the  memory  of  freemen  ! 

Near  by,  was  the  sarcophagus  of  Sobieski,  the  defender 
of  Vienna,  and  the  saviour  of  Christendom  from  the  do- 
minion of  the  Turks.  Beside  him  lay  his  queen,  and  at  his 
feet  the  stone  coffin  of  their  infant  child.  The  only  re- 
maining tomb  was  that  of  Joseph  Poniatowsky,  nephew 
of  the  last  king  of  Poland,  and  the  last  hope  of  his  country. 
A soldier,  a prince,  a marshal  of  France  ; virtuous,  talented, 
and  brave,  he  looked  upon  Napoleon  as  one  who  was  des 
tined  to  establish  the  independence  of  Poland.  Disap- 
pointed, but  not  despairing,  he  exhibited  the  same  fidelity 
and  firmness  in  good  and  in  evil  fortune.  Upon  the  fatal 
field  of  Leipsic,  he  was  sent  to  stay  the  onset  of  the  victo- 
rious allies.  An  accident  prevented  his  retreat.  Sur- 
rounded by  the  enemy,  he  summoned  the  friends  who  were 
around  him,  and  exclaimed,  “ It  behooves  us  now  to  die  with 


THE  ZAMECK. 


357 


honor.”  With  a small  band  of  heroes,'  he  cut  his  way 
through  the  opposing  foe,  and,  bleeding  with  many  wounds, 
he  reached  the  river  Elster.  His  horse  carried  him  across ; 
but,  exhausted  with  fatigue,  the  weary  beast  fell  back  from 
the  bank  upon  the  chieftain,  who  perished  in  the  water. 
Such  are  the  heroes  who  sleep  beneath  the  old  cathedral. 
Where  in  all  Russia — where  can  be  found  the  remains  of 
three  better  or  three  braver  men  than  these  ? Ages  must 
pass  away,  and  ages  of  freedom  too,  before  names  like  these 
will  appear  in  Russian  story. 

We  left  the  Zameck,  the  castle,  church  and  palace  of  the 
kings,  and  were  soon  again  in  the  narrow  streets  of  Cracow. 
Alas ! how  fallen  ? What  wretchedness,  what  filth,  what 
misery  ! How  many  fine  old  habitations  all  unoccupied, — 
how  many  churches  going  to  ruin,  and  the  University, — the 
famous  University, — how  changed  and  how  deserted  ? 

The  carriage  that  was  to  convey  us  to  Wieliezka,  stood 
at  the  door.  The  arrival  or  the  departure  of  a carriage  is 
an  event  in  Cracow.  All  the  idlers  had  collected  before 
the  inn,  in  much  the  same  way  as  people  will  assemble  upon 
the  wharves  to  witness  the  departure  of  a crack  steamer. 
There  was  no  place  upon  the  box  and  no  foothold  behind 
for  the  little  Jew,  and  we  told  him  to  take  a seat  beside  us 
in  the  carriage.  His  intelligent  features  were  instantly 
overshadowed  with  an  expression  of  anguish,  for  he  thought 
that  we  spoke  in  derision.  We  insisted,  however,  and  with 
evident  surprise  and  some  hesitation,  he  did  as  we  requested. 
The  miserable  creatures  standing  by,  evinced  in  their  looks 
and  murmurs,  their  disapprobation  of  this  arrangement ; and 
until  we  left  the  gates,  the  Jew  and  Christian,  riding  to- 
gether, were  the  observed  of  all  observers. 


358 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


We  crossed  the  Vistula,  into  the  Austrian  province  of 
Gallicia,  which  originally  formed  a part  of  Red  Russia,  and 
after  an  hour’s  ride,  reached  the  village  of  Wieliezka.  We 
stopped  at,  and  entered  the  office  of,  the  director  of  the 
mines.  Two  or  three  clerks  were  seated  before  as  many 
desks.  One  of  these  went  in  search  of  the  director,  and 
another  showed  us  the  cloaks  and  coverings  worn  by  the 
different  potentates  and  princes  who  had  visited  the  mines. 
As  soon  as  the  director,  a powerful,  broad-shouldered  indi- 
vidual, blind  of  one  eye  and  looking  very  fierce  out  of  the 
other,  made  his  appearance,  the  clerks  resumed  their  labors 
with  indefatigable  industry.  The  director  greeted  us  with 
politeness,  and  after  examining  the  permit  we  had  from  the 
Austrian  authorities,  which  was  a sufficient  title  to  his  good 
graces,  he  ordered  a young  officer  to  make  the  necessary 
arrangements,  and  conduct  us  to  the  mines.  Loose  over- 
coats were  provided ; — the  attendants  lighted  their  pine 
torches,  and  passing  through  a door  opening  upon  a stair- 
way, we  commenced  the  descent. 

A long  winding  stair  of  several  hundred  steps,  neatly 
covered  with  boards,  led  to  the  first  story.  Long  alleys 
conducted  to  the  chambers,  which,  during  the  course  of  six 
hundred  years,  have  been  excavated  in  the  solid  salt.  These 
chambers  are  well  proportioned,  and  present  an  appearance 
of  cleanliness  and  neatness,  that  at  once  reconciles  the  vis- 
itor. No  humidity,  no  closeness,  no  chilling  draughts,  but 
a dry,  airy,  and  never  varying  temperature,  such  as  pipes 
filled  with  vapor,  and  all  the  patent  modes  of  ventilation, 
cannot  furnish  to  the  abodes  above,  pervades  these  subter- 
ranean caverns.  The  halls  upon  the  first  floor,  have  been 
named  after  various  monarchs  of  Poland  and  Austria,  and 


THE  SALT  MINE. 


’>5!J 

are  decorated  with  their  statues  or  the  monuments  erected 
to  their  memory.  Another  chamber  is  called  the  chapel  of 
St.  Cunegunda.  Cunegunda  was  a lady  living  formerly  in 
these  parts,  and  it  is  said,  that  in  looking  for  her  wedding 
ring,  which  by  some  accident  had  been  lost,  these  mines 
were  discovered.  Hence  Cunegunda  became  the  lady  pa- 
troness of  Wieliezka,  and  the  chapel,  with  altars  and  im- 
ages carved  in  the  salt-rock,  are  dedicated  to  her,  and  on 
her  day  of  festival,  high  mass  is  celebrated  in  the  presence 
of  the  miners. 

The  largest  of  the  chambers  was  the  concert  hall,  or  the 
theatre.  There  was  the  ■ orchestra,  saloons,  galleries,  and 
from  the  arched  roof  above,  hung  a chandelier  of  salt. 
Some  of  the  guides  ascended  to  the  uppermost  tier,  and 
waving  their  blazing  brooms,  illumined  the  gloom  above 
and  around  them.  The  light  falling  upon  the  crystal  walls, 
and  the  grim  shadows  trembling  and  struggling  upon  the 
brink  of  the  darkness,  that  reached  far  beyond  into  the  deep 
gulf,  was  marvellously  beautiful.  Again  descending,  we 
reached  the  second  story,  and  threading  the  long  passages, 
arrived  upon  the  borders  of  a lake,  where  a boat  and  the 
torch-bearers  awaited  us.  The  Styx  as  described  by  the 
ancients,  or  the  descent  of  ^Eneas  into  Hades,  as  told  by 
Virgil,  was  recalled  most  forcibly  to  mind,  as  we  were  be- 
ing ferried  across  the  buried  pool.  When  half  way  over, 
the  Austrian  broke  out  in  song,  and  awoke  the  melodious 
echoes.  The  silence  of  all  else  was  most  profound,  and 
every  note  was  repeated  as  clearly  and  distinctly  as  if  the 
genius  of  the  place  had  followed  from  the  recesses  in  the 
distance,  every  emotion  of  the  voice. 

We  landed  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake,  and  de- 


360 


. THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


scended  to  a chamber  immediately  beneath.  Under  us  was 
a fourth  and  another  story,  but  we  were  already  six  hun- 
dred feet  below  the  surface,  and  we  thought  this  quite  suf- 
ficient. The  whole  mass  above  was  supported  by  arches 
and  pillars  of  salt,  as  solid  and  as  hard  as  adamant.  Some 
of  the  latter  have  been  cut  away,  and  immense  beams  of 
wood  substituted  in  their  place.  There  are  no  clefts,  or 
gaps,  or  breaks  in  the  length  or  breadth  of  this  spacious 
vault.  All  is  solid  and  secure,  and  the  idea  of  accident  or 
danger  never  occurs  to  the  observer.  The  rock,  in  its 
general  appearance,  and  in  a doubtful  light,  resembles  our 
gray  granite,  except  that  it  has  more  brilliancy ; that  kind 
of  brilliancy  imparted  to  the  texture  of  ordinary  quarries 
containing  crystallized  quartz.  Where  the  water  has  fil- 
tered, crystallizations  appear  in  the  form  of  cubes  and  prisms, 
and  where  these  are  seen  with  the  aid  of  a number  of 
torches,  the  effect  is  very  beautiful. 

We  rested  a while,  and  listened  to  the  Austrian  dis- 
course upon  the  monotony  and  toil  of  mining  life.  The 
director  was  a tyrant ; Wieliezka  was  a stupid  place,  and 
he  feared  lest  the  saline  particles  would  impregnate  his 
system,  and  convert  him  into  a pillar  of  salt.  The  ascent 
was  quite  fatiguing ; at  the  foot  of  the  laSt  stairway,  we 
paused  again  to  take  breath.  The  miners  here  made  the 
bows  and  salutations  preceding  a demand  for  a buonamano ; 
and  the  Austrian  informed  us  that  they  did  so,  since  they 
would  not  dare  to  do  it  in  the  presence  of  the  omnipotent 
director.  A few  zlots  were  accordingly  distributed  among 
these  hardy  men  ; and  soon  after  we  reached  the  top  of  the 
stairs,  and  entered  the  office,  where  the  clerks  were  as  busy 
as  before,  beneath  the  eye  of  their  master.  Gratified  with 


KOSCIUSKO. 


361 


our  visit,  and  the  urbanity,  which  distinguishes  the  Austrian 
from  the  Russian  official,  we  prepared  to  return  to  Cracow. 
The  little  Jew,  who  had  been  ordered  off  the  premises  dur- 
ing our  absence,  returned  when  he  saw  us  leave  the  office, 
and  during  the  ride  back  to  the  city,  puzzled  us  with  ques- 
tions about  the  mines. 

The  morning  preceding  our  departure  from  Cracow,  we 
went  to  the  mound  of  Kosciusko.  It  stands  upon  a hill 
a few  miles  from  Cracow.  The  citizens  of  the  republic 
were  employed  four  years  in  its  construction.  A circular 
way  winds  from  the  base  to  the  summit,  from  which  is 
seen  the  whole  surrounding  country.  The  spires  of  Cra- 
cow;-— the  towers  of  the  Zameck  rising  upon  the  rock  of 
Wawel,  like  the  castle  over  Edinburgh,  or  the  Hradschin 
over  Prague ; — the  Vistula,  winding  away  among  the  val- 
leys ; — the  tumuli  of  Cracus,  and  of  his  daughter,  the  love- 
lorn Vanda; — and  the  distant  ranges  of  the  Carpathians, 
present  the  most  enchanting  prospect.  The  eye  wanders 
through  scenes  which  have  witnessed  many  of  the  romantic 
and  mysterious  events  connected  with  the  rise  and  prog- 
ress, the  decline  and  fall  of  Poland.  Could  there  have 
been  a better  monument  to  her  last  hero,  than  this  com- 
posed of  the  earth,  brought  from  all  the  battle-fields,  and 
erected  by  the  citizens  of  the  republic,  in  the  midst  of  so 
many  great  and  glorious  associations  ? Of  all  the  places 
we  had  visited  in  all  our  wanderings,  we  had  not  borne 
away  a single  souvenir,  but  from  among  the  wild  grass  that 
grew  luxuriantly  upon  the  mound  of  Kusciusko,  we  plucked 
a little  flower,  the  last  of  autumn,  to  take  with  us  as  a me- 
mento of  the  patriot  of  Poland. 

16 


362 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

Russian  Agents— The  Spy — Treaty  of  Vienna — Insurrection  in  Gallicia-- 
Political  Speculations — Arrival  at  Vienna. 

Cracow  at  this  time  was  filled  not  only  with  open  and 
avowed  friends  of  Polish  nationality,  but  also  with  the  se- 
cret agents  of  Russia,  Austria  and  Prussia,  who  assuming 
the  language  and  the  character  of  liberals,  informed  them- 
selves of  the  plans  and  operations  of  the  conspirators,  whose 
subsequent  attempt  at  revolution  has  proved  so  dreadful  and 
disastrous.  The  traveller  was  almost  certain  to  be  accosted, 
under  some  pretence  or  other,  by  the  spies  of  the  protecting 
powers. 

These  are  individuals  of  polite  exterior,  speaking  almost 
every  European  language.  They  introduce  themselves  with 
an  apology  for  saying  they  believe  they  have  met  wMi  him 
before,  or  have  a brother  to  whom  he  bears  a striking  re- 
semblance, or  make  some  trifling  inquiry,  which  leads  to  a 
conversation,  and  almost  insensibly  to  the  expression  of  po- 
litical opinions.  If  these  are  hostile  to  the  views  of  their 
masters,  the  traveller  is  secretly  denounced  to  the  police  of 
the  three  powers,  and  his  every  movement  watched  as  long 
as  he  remains  within  their  jurisdiction. 

The  Russian  agent  is  an  ugly,  but  an  amiable-looking  man. 
He  is  generally  advanced  in  years,  and  a perfect  piece  of 
patchwork.  His  dress,  which  is  of  a fashionable  cut,  gives 


RUSSSIAN  SPIES. 


363 


to  his  figure  a youthful  expression,  denied  him  in  every  par- 
ticular of  shape,  and  every  lineament  of  feature.  In  the  un- 
combed locks  of  his  handsome  peruke,  and  the  bespattered 
state  of  his  habiliments,  are  all  the  slovenly  indications  of 
a dandy  in  dotage.  Illuminating  his  physiognomy  with  a 
smile  just  deep  enough  to  erase  its  wrinkles,  and  assuming 
a manner  that  appears  as  natural  as  it  is  distingue , his  ap- 
proaches are  irresistible,  and  his  acquaintance  sought  for  by 
the  unwary,  rather  than  avoided.  Age  cannot  conquer  the 
cunning  of  the  Russian  diplomat.  On  the  contrary,  his  craft 
increases  with  his  years.  When  the  gifts  of  nature  fail  him, 
he  has  recourse  to  art.  In  his  long  career  he  has  studied 
well  society  and  its  affectations,  and  with  a tact  that  seems 
intuitive,  he  flatters  without  appearing  to  flatter,  and  in- 
trigues without  appearing  an  intriguer.  Ars  est  celare  ar- 
tem.  We  had  been  too  long  in  Russia,  not  to  be  aware  of 
insidious  attentions  bestowed  by  these  worthies  upon  stran- 
gers, and  having  also  been  informed  that  a conspiracy 
existed,  we  avoided  all  communication  with  suspicious  sub- 
jects. This  little  republic,  only  ninety-four  leagues  square, 
was  in  a queer  predicament.  The  bayonets  of  Russia  on 
the  one  side,  and  of  Austria  on  the  other,  completely  hedged 
it  in ; its  citizens  could  scarcely  turn  to  the  right  or  left 
without  paying  for  a passport. 

Although  by  the  treaty  of  Vienna,  Cracow  was  declared 
perpetually  free  and  independent,  it  was  evident  at  this  time 
that  it  was  neither  free  nor  independent,  and  that  the  guar- 
antees for  its  neutrality  and  perpetuity,  by  the  celebrated 
Congress,  were  also  about  to  prove  abortive.  A conspir- 
acy is  known  to  have  existed  in  Cracow  in  1845.  It  was 
known  to  the  police  ; — to  the  Russian  and  Austrian  consuls 


364 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


residing  there,  and  to  many  citizens,  who  denounced  those 
engaged  in  an  enterprise  that  would  only  increase  the 
calamities  of  their  country.  Nearly  a year  elapsed.  Noth- 
ing was  done  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  conspiration. 
Every  thing  was  done  to  give  it  importance  and  consist- 
ency, until  by  hearsay  and  report,  and  with  the  assistance, 
and  at  the  instigation  of  the  secret  agents  of  the  three 
powers,  who  had  witnessed  its  inception  and  watched  its 
growth,  this  trifling  affair  was  magnified  into  an  alarming 
evil. 

The  Austrian  government  determined  to  avail  itself  of 
the  long  wished-for  opportunity  for  annulling  the  conditions 
of  the  treaty  of  Vienna,  so  far  at  least  as  these  conditions 
related  to  the  perpetuity  of  the  freedom  of  Cracow,  and 
preservation  of  the  rights  of  the  province  of  Gallieia.  Since 
Russia  had  decreed  and  Prussia  had  consented,  for  certain 
considerations,  that  Cracow,  the  key  of  Upper  Silesia, 
should  be  held  by  Austria,  there  was  no  barrier  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  designs  of  the  latter  power,  but  the  in- 
telligence of  the  Polish  nobles.  How  was  this  intelligence 
to  be  disposed  of?  By  a proceeding  that  will  compare,  for 
its  atrocious  wickedness,  with  any  other  in  the  history  of 
mankind.  An  ignorant  peasantry  were  told  that  God  and 
Caesar,— the  God  who  was  in  heaven,  and  the  Caesar  who 
was  in  Vienna,  were  their  only  masters ; — that  the  nobles 
were  their  tyrants, — tyrants  having  no  authority  from  God 
or  Caesar,  but  whose  lives  and  property  were  at  the  disposal 
of  the  people.  In  February,  1846,  the  conspiracy  opened 
in  rebellion,  and  the  Austrian  forces  approached  and  occu- 
pied the  republic  of  Cracow  almost  without  opposition.  At 
the  same  moment  the  peasantry  of  Gallieia  rose  in  arms,  not 


THE  INSURRECTION. 


365 


to  assert  their  nationality,  but  against  the  whole  body  of  the 
proprietors,  who  innocent  or  guilty  of  conspiracy,  were 
slaughtered  with  unrelenting  cruelty.  Those  most  distin- 
guished for  their  virtue,  philanthropy,  and  popularity,  were 
the  first  victims  of  prejudice  and  fury.  The  old  Count 
Kotarski,  called  for  a quarter  of  a century  “ The  Father  of 
the  Peasants,”  was  allowed  four  hours  to  prepare  for  death, 
and  after  the  sacrament  had  been  administered,  he  was  led 
out  to  execution. 

The  pride  of  the  Polish  aristocracy  were  cut  off,  and 
not  satisfied  with  this,  the  peasantry  committed  most  bru- 
tal outrages  upon  the  women,  and  sacrified  many  children, 
priests,  and  servants  whose  appearance  or  condition  was 
an  indication  of  superior  intelligence.  Sixteen  members 
of  the  single  family  of  Boguz  were  immolated.  One 
only  of  the  name  escaped,  and  he  demanded  vengeance 
from  the  Austrian  government  upon  the  murderers  of  his 
kindred.  The  government  received  his  complaint,  but  it 
said  to  him,  “You  are  in  mourning.  This  is  factious.”  It 
promised,  however,  to  avenge  his  wrongs.  A few  days 
after  he  was  murdered,  and  his  voice  stifled  forever. 
Nearly  fifteen  hundred  Polish  gentlemen  were  massacred 
in  the  single  district  of  Tarnow.  The  work  of  extermina- 
tion was  carried  on  with  the  same  fearful  results  in  every 
part  of  Gallicia.  Those  who  escaped  from  the  assassins 
of  their  friends  and  relatives  took  refuge  in  the  prisons  ; 
of  those  who  were  left  homeless  and  houseless  by  this  dis- 
aster, there  were,  in  the  single  district  of  Tarnow,  more 
than  three  hundred  infants  too  young  to  tell  their  names  or 
parentage.  Premiums  in  money  were  paid  by  the  Aus- 
trian governors  to  the  peasants  who  brought  in  the  bodies 


366 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


of  their  murdered  masters,  and  their  pretended  patriotism 
was  applauded  in  a proclamation  signed  by  the  Emperor  of 
Austria. 

Such  was  the  result  of  the  conspiracy  of  Cracow,  a con- 
spiracy, that  was  encouraged,  if  not  created,  to  accomplish 
the  destruction  of  Poland.  The  intelligence  of  the  country 
was  entirely  cut  off,  and  the  despotism  perfectly  established 
in  Gallicia.  It  was  effected  by  means  that  would  have  dis- 
graced the  wildest  period  of  the  reign  of  terror,  and  effected 
too  by  men,  who  in  the  name  of  the  Most  High,  had  ex- 
pressed a holy  horror  of  blood  and  revolution,  only  thirty 
years  ago,  at  the  solemn  Congress  of  Vienna.  Neither 
of  the  northern  powers  has  now  a title  to  the  dismem- 
bered provinces,  and  either  may  now  dispute  the  posses- 
sion of  the  other.  All  the  territory  has  been  appropri- 
ated, and  the  spoilers  will  now  have  to  watch  each  other. 
In  this  there  may  yet  be  hope  for  Poland,  for  her  enemies 
will  quarrel,  and  one  or  the  other  may  yet  call  upon  her 
sons  to  rise  and  assert  their  liberties. 

The  annexation  of  Cracow  to  the  Austrian  territory,  how- 
ever much  it  is  to  be  regretted,  as  a violation  of  the  faith 
of  treaties,  will  materially  increase  its  commercial  advan- 
tages, and  so  far  benefit  its  citizens.  The  revolution  has 
left  Gallicia  in  a dreadful  condition.  The  peasantry  had 
imbibed  certain  ideas  of  communism,  and  murdered  their 
masters,  under  the  impression  that  they  were  thereafter  to 
live  in  idleness,  and  riot  in  profusion.  But  in  this  they 
were  mistaken  ; for  they  were  compelled  to  labor  beneath 
the  eye  of  the  Austrian  soldier,  and  have  discovered  that  the 
Caesar  in  Vienna,  is  more  to  be  dreaded  than  the  lord  that 
stood  between  them  and  the  throne 


THE  FATHERLAND. 


367 


Leaving  Cracow,  we  passed  the  Vistula  to  Podgorge,  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  river,  and  entered  the  Austrian  do- 
minions. In  the  evening  we  took  the  eilewagen,  or  mail 
coach,  and  journeyed  onward  night  and  day,  through  Gal- 
licia,  and  the  beautiful  provinces  of  Silesia  and  Moravia. 
We  left  the  wintry  North  behind  us,  and  threw  off  the  furs  to 
revel  in  the  genial  sunshine.  It  was  cold,  but  not  one  half  so 
cold  as  Russia.  The  streams  were  running  as  in  summer, 
the  cattle  were  grazing  in  the  fields,  and  the  ploughmen  pre- 
paring the  earth  for  seed.  The  hills  and  valleys,  cottages 
and  hedges,  and  the  autumnal  days  were  beautiful  indeed, 
when  contrasted  with  the  gloom  and  monotony  of  Russia. 
The  transition  was  most  agreeable.  And  then  the  speed 
and  alacrity  of  northern  travel,  the  peculiarities  of  the 
country,  and  the  people  of  the  Slavi,  were  exchanged 
for  the  thoughtfulness,  phlegm,  and  gentle  paces  of  the 
Teutonic  race.  Every  thing  was  German.  Coaches,  inns, 
food,  dress,  language,  and  behavior,  were  all  of  the  father- 
land.  This  change  of  climate,  and  change  of  scene,  had 
its  effect  upon  the  enthusiastic  and  volatile  Italian.  He 
had  left  his  fears  beyond  the  Vistula,  and  valiantly  de- 
nounced the  Barbarians  of  the  North.  Austria  seemed  a 
paradise  to  St.  Juliano.  He  capered  like  a child,  and  sung 
us  all  the  operas.  At  Leignitz  we  reached  the  station  of 
the  Nord  Eisenbahn,  and  hailed  with  joy  the  rattling  cars, 
that  coming  from  Brunn,  were  to  carry  us  to  Vienna. 

Our  arrival  safe  and  sound,  in  the  beautiful  capital,  after  a 
long  and  fatiguing  journey  of  more  than  a thousand  miles,  in 
a cold  and  dreary  season,  was  accompanied  with  many  agree- 
able sensations.  He  only  who  has  experienced  it,  can  form 
an  adequate  idea  of  the  delightful  impressions  produced  by 


368 


THE  CZAR,  HIS  COURT  AND  PEOPLE. 


such  a change.  To  tell  how  we  were  pleased  with  the 
people  and  the  pleasures  of  Vienna  ; — how  we  recovered 
from  fatigue,  and  enjoyed  the  far  niente ; — how  we  saw, 
and  heard  the  valiant  St.  Juliano,  in  the  dress  of  a Roman 
consul,  sing  the  part  of  Pollione,  would  with  other  matters, 
require  many  chapters  more.  But  we  have  left  the  North, 
and  Vienna  the  resort  and  the  delight  of  travellers,  has  been 
frequently  described. 


FINIS. 


GETTY  RESEARCH  INSTITUTE 


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